All I Want For Christmas...

The last two months have seemed to drag on at quarter speed. Every week went slower and slower. The future seemed to be receding. So, when I open my eyes it feels like Christmas should be just around the corner, or around the next turn of the calendar.

Maybe by Christmas my wishes will come true. What are you wishing for?

If I had a time machine I would use it to undo all the bad stuff that has happened this year. All the sickness, all the death, all the fear, all the economic devastation would never have happened. The US economy would be booming, the stock market high, unemployment low, cruise ships and airplanes full.

A ventilator would be just a house fan. A mask would be for Mardi Gras or Halloween.

Well, there is no going back to that, exactly. What might be possible (or maybe just a little bit better than that) by Christmas this year?

To control the disease, we might hope for treatments that control the virulence, the infectiousness, and the mortality early enough that Christmas can be celebrated with family as usual. Together. Close together. Sharing food, drink and song.

To prevent the disease, we might hope for a vaccine by as early as Christmas. That would be record time for development of a vaccine – but the whole world is working on it, so maybe….

In any case, by Christmas, I wish that restaurants are open and prosperous. And movies. And barber shops and hair salons. And libraries and bookstores. And that we can enjoy all the retail therapy we were used to.

I want to be able to travel to see my children, or have them travel to see me. Maybe we could take a cruise together. Or fly to Paris or London or Tokyo to celebrate my birthday next year (we can’t do this for my very significant birthday this year).

Finally, I want Christmas to be normal again. That’s all, Santa.