NoDa Arts District: When FOMO Becomes A Reality: Looking Back At A Year Rocked By COVID

Press release from the NoDa Arts District:

Eric Linne

June 2, 2021

Sadness for our friends and neighbors whose businesses were abruptly closed or who lost their jobs in service related industries. And sadness for ourselves for the things we would miss out on in the near future – be it weeks, months, or even years.

In late March 2020, our older son was married in a small, socially distanced wedding on a scenic hilltop in Wisconsin. When we learned of his impending wedding, we struggled with whether we should attempt to drive to this significant life event. My wife and I have been married for 40 years. In all those decades, deciding whether to risk driving hundreds of miles (including rest stops and hotel stays) was the hardest decision we ever made. In the end, we decided not to risk the travel. Our decision hinged on the fact that if we became sick, we would become an avoidable burden for other family members and another community’s health system. While we decided not to attend, we took consolation in the fact that our son and his spouse have since planned a more formal ceremony and celebration for this September.

We are big fans of live music and theater. Living in NoDa, we feel extremely fortunate to have two of the best music venues in the state, The Evening Muse and The Neighborhood Theatre, just down the street from our home. Not attending a live music event for several months hurt on a couple of levels. First, we missed the intimacy and immediacy of witnessing artists performing a one-of-a-kind set with audience interaction – something that can’t be replicated with recorded music and live streams. And we also hurt for our friends who are owners, service personnel, and performers who have faced shuttered venues for months on end.

Life is slowly returning to at least a semblance of normal. With vaccinations widely available to everyone over age 12, rates of infections, hospitalizations, and deaths from COVID continue to drop. Businesses, shops, and restaurants are reopening, and people feel more comfortable frequenting these businesses that have experienced a long dry spell. With warmer weather having arrived, outdoor activities abound and you can feel a sense of relief on the faces of people reconnecting with family and friends and rejoining their favorite activities. While we still have a long way to go to resume pre-COVID life, we’re definitely moving in the right direction.

This press release was produced by the NoDa Arts District. The views expressed here are the author’s own.