It. Was. Awesome.
I did something wild and crazy last week.
I boarded a plane and arrived in a faraway city.
Once on the ground, I took a Lyft to a hotel.
I checked into a room by myself.
Then, I spent the next two days going to hospitals and pharmacies and talking to people at a two-day conference.
It was called a business trip.
Sounds exotic, doesn’t it?
Three years ago, this was nothing special, but nowadays, as the pandemic takes on its next form, this trip was a certifiable treat.
Instead of the routine of my family dropping me off at the airport, there were tears this time. There were asks for vigilance. Requests for calls and reports from the field about pandemic safety.
I was, in fact, breaking our bubble.
We have been all kinds of vigilant these past few years. We’ve avoided crowds, foregone parties and reunions, opted for homeschool, and never let the mask down.
Being away from the family and in a state where the mask mandates and health screenings had just been lifted, I admit I was feeling a little reckless.
Plus, I was around some old friends in my industry. Oh, and it was my birthday a day later.
Spoiler alert: I allowed myself to have some fun.
It. Was. Awesome.
As the trip wound down and my return flight loomed, I remembered a word which all business travelers with families are well aware: re-entry.
It’s those moments, hours, and days that follow the miniature lifetime you spend away from the family unit in which you must quickly re-adapt to literally everything.
Most times, this is easy.
It wasn’t after a two year hiatus. Nor was it easy with an unvaccinated child at home. Nor was it easy when, just before I left, the conference organizers said two people tested positive for Omicron following the event.
So what did my re-entry look like?
A hotel stay in my home city. More nights away from my family and home. More food out, hotel gyms, masks, and Covid tests.
I eventually found my way back home, negative the dreaded bug. I’m fully integrated once again and all is at stasis once more.
But was it all worth it? Yes.
Will I be back out on the road again? Yes.
Will the family and I adjust? We always do. We always do. We’ve been doing it now for years.
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Photo by Marc Sendra Martorell on Unsplash
