I think it’s safe for me to say what we may all be thinking: I’m ready for the Coronavirus (COVID-19) to go away. And I don’t mean the polite kind of going away. I don’t want the departure that comes with a few prolonged hugs and walk out of your house like a visiting relative. I want the kind of leaving your life like it was never meant to be there in the first place. While I’ll take whichever exit I can get, the latter would be best.

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I understand that may be wishful thinking, but that’s where I am right now.

Working in public affairs for a major healthcare organization at a time like this is chaotic for me and those I work with. Part of my job is to schedule infectious disease physicians to speak on the virus to the community, share updates across our social media pages, and offer communications assistance when needed. It’s busy and fast paced, but I enjoy what I do. However, it’s absolutely nothing compared to what those in critical and essential roles are doing. The actual medical professionals, the grocery store cashiers, and bus drivers are doing a lot. Just as so the teachers, daycare staff, and restaurant owners are getting hit hard. We’re all in a tough position in different ways, but what I’m sure we have in common is that we just want this to go away whether through vaccine or divine intervention.

But it looks like it’s going to be a while. As schools are being closed longer than expected and stay at home orders are still in place, COVID-19 may not be going anywhere just yet. But despite the abysmal outlook, my perspective isn’t changing. We may have said hello to the virus, but I’m eager to say goodbye to it. To hang out of my window waving adieu would be grand. I’m optimistic that this is temporary. That in spite of how much tragedy and change it has brought to the world, it will end soon. That’s my belief.

With my belief, is my focus. I’ll continue to work on the things that I love whether it’s this website, fitness, my mental health, and my 2020 goals because I want to say goodbye to COVID-19 and feel accomplished that I worked towards the things that I love. I always want to continue supporting the places and things that have supported me when times are hard for them. My rideshare friends, baristas, bakers, churches, and restaurants will still get my support in the ways that I can best do it. I’m continuing to live my life and I encourage you to do so. Of course, within the mandates set by the State of California and the City of Los Angeles (or wherever you reside). I encourage you to live and refute any fear that may come your way. Meditate, exercise, start that business you wanted, connect with family, work, on yourself, or finish your favorite Netflix series. Whatever you have to do in your life during this time, do it.

I know I am.

And I know it may be foolish to think and live this way, but as of right now I do. At work I only get the facts and they’re saddening so if I can live in a bit of happiness for even just a little I will. I know it may be aloof to think that this virus that is causing so much chaos may disappear just as quickly as it arrived, but that’s what I choose to do. I want to believe that the medical staff that I work with, and even those around the world, are so skilled and intelligent that they will find a vaccine for something so unknown. I plan to continue living and supporting those around me. And if that’s considered playing pretend, then I’ll play pretend. I’ll gladly hold on to this optimism, pray every day, and put out all of the positive energy until we can go back to how things were before. We may have said hello to COVID-19, but soon enough we’ll be saying goodbye.