You do not know what you are missing until it is taken away from you. The whole world learned that lesson in the last 14 months. Things like lockdown, isolation, masks, excessive hand washing and social distancing became acceptable and “normal” for over a year. Who would have thought that toilet paper could become so valuable and sought after! We made it through a pandemic, with the last one happening over 100 years ago. Most of us thought medicine was more advanced today, but we were wrong (germs seem to travel and multiply at will). Now, after the fact, we have some normalcy. We may go out and about without a mask, broaden our circle of friends, go to church, concerts, movies and plays. We can move around freely enough to go on vacations, eat at a restaurant and stay in a hotel. But we still have to be patient because the economy will take a while to come back up to full speed. We cannot expect to just remove our masks, and everything be normal again. Our habits have changed during this time. We now let our fingers do the walking on our smartphones via the internet to buy everything – just press the “purchase” button and it comes right to our door. We do not dress up as often because we got used to staying in, so now a night at home live streaming a new film sounds ideal. You can wear lounge clothes, get comfy, and surround yourself with snacks, all with no waiting in line. Why go out when you have all the comforts of home, not to mention that you can pause your movie when you need or want to. Live streaming has really changed our lifestyle. Another shift is that many people got used to working from home and they are no longer chained to an office or forced to commute. Yet, there is a vital part of our economy that has not changed. The transportation industry continues to keep our country moving. Getting the merchandise to and from the ports and the trains, only shows how much this country needs the hard-working American truckers. Yes, the hours are long, and the job is back breaking, but during these hard times you have rarely complained. It was you who kept the stores supplied with the food, water and medicines that were necessary for our survival. No matter what the future holds, you will be there for us. As the nation grows, you truckers will work even harder, because you are vital for that growth. I know I’m preaching to the choir here, but each of us are grateful for your hard work and dedication. As for me, I say God bless the USA and the truckers that keep us strong!
