Friday Traditions

We typically go out for dinner on Friday nights during the school year. We kind of treat it as a time to come together and celebrate making it through the work/school week and to kick off the weekend. We have done this pretty regularly since Tyler’s first marching band performance his freshman year. On the last day of school last Friday, we went out as usual. In hindsight, I hope we didn’t make a mistake by being out and about and around other people. The restrictions were not as strict then, and we weren’t thinking much about spreading the virus past using hand sanitizer and washing our hands.

That said, we had such a nice time together. The food was really good, but more than that, there was a lot of talking and laughing. We celebrated the end of our work/school week as usual, and talked about what might be coming in the weeks ahead. It was a good time together. Now, looking back, I realize we may also have been celebrating Tyler’s last day of high school. We enjoyed our dinner and then picked up Uncle Ron and went for ice cream. Again, I hope this wasn’t a mistake in hindsight, but it was such a nice time together, made even more special by all that has happened since.

If anything, this pandemic has changed the way we look at our daily routines. There were so many things we didn’t realize we were taking for granted. Being able to enjoy our Friday tradition at a restaurant with family after a week of school is some of that. I cherished the memories we were making at the time, but they mean even more now. I look forward to the weeks ahead when we can settle back into these comfortable routines, but I know they will be even more special to us then.