#sol21 March 8 – Before That, March 8th

Slice of LIfe — *Part of Slice of Life by Two Writing Teachers March Slice a Day Challenge! I’m slicing every day this month. Thanks for stopping by.*

March 8th

March 8th. 
sunny, 
spring is in the air 
for now. 
Kids are out on wheeled things 
"spring break" is two days off later this week
Kids and I really wish we were going somewhere. 
Anywhere 
really. 
Any. Where.

Before that, 
March 8th - 2020 
we drove to Georgia 
mountains and hikes and family time and laughter and fireplaces and wine.
Our last pre-pandemic normalcy. 
We knew something was happening - 
but not really. 
We clorox-wiped the vacation house, we didn't go to crowded places…
but it felt normal. 
happy. 
We even brought the dog! 
Our Georgia trip felt like family in a cabin, 
but not a cabin-fevered family.

Before that,
March 8th was Finnegan Foxy Feinberg's birthday. 
Always during spring break, 
He’s always at the "Pet Resort" for his birthday. 
Our spring breaks were never fancy, 
but they were breaks. 

Before that, 
March 8th marked the anniversary of my father-in-law's death. 
A day to remember him, 
gone now for over 20 years. 
A character 
we wish he had seen our wedding, 
We wish he had met his grandchildren. 
Every March 8th I will remember him and feel lucky that I got to know him.

Before that, 
March 8th was just a normal day.
I'm sure spring was in the air sometimes, 
other times there were blizzards. 
I'm sure life looked normal - headed on a vector I didn't notice
just living life.

Now I wonder. 
What will March 8th look like next year? 

March 8th 2022
March 8th 2023
March 8th 
March 8th
What will the March 8ths of the future have in store for us?

7 thoughts on “#sol21 March 8 – Before That, March 8th”

I like that you went back not just to last year, but farther in time, and then ahead. That range is a nice way to remember that this pandemic year is not everything; that there were significant and unsignificant days before it and there will be the same after. Beautiful!

Wow! This is such brilliant writing! I read it a few times! I love the thought you put into it!

There’s so much about this piece that spoke to me. The contrast is so interesting to consider but thinking about the future is mesmerizing. What a powerful piece, Ona!

There is such a stark “before and after” from March 8, 2020 and March 8, 2021. I think often about how this has become a defining date for many things in my life…did they happen before or after march 2020. Hopefully March 8, 2022 will be spent on a nice break away from home.