Just this week, our provincial health officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry released a timeline plan for the province of British Columbia to return back to relative normal. As more and more folks are getting their vaccine, herd immunity is becoming a reality. The excitement in the people I have talked to about this is like a shot in the arm of real hope for the future (pun intended).

What is most interesting, is what folks are telling me they are looking forward to the most and it is these simple pleasures that are giving me hope for mankind. It all boils down to human connection, both physically and energetically, through conversation and just experiencing close proximity to others. A hug, a hand shake, an animated conversation with friends, the ability to talk about your experience with one friend to another, to walk into a building with out a mask on – things that pre-pandemic, we would rarely even consider as luxuries of community life and yet today, we’ve come to place high value on.

Dr. Bonnie Henry, a self confessed hugger, has even suggested that once we are finally past the pandemic, we should celebrate with a national hug day. How amazing would that be, not to mention the positive and powerful endorphins that would be released out into the world by such a mass hugging.

I have to pause in my thoughts for a moment to talk about Dr. Bonnie Henry. This small unassuming woman is the epitome of what a modern crone should aspire to. Educated and a master in her field, she is a healer of the highest good but also compassionate, patient and vulnerable, with the heart of a warrior but not afraid to show real emotion. All packaged into the tiny frame of a woman with a penchant for stylish shoes. Her unique abilities insured that British Columbia weathered the pandemic as safely as was possible with a steady, nurturing hand at the helm. So much so that the world took notice, even the New York Times wrote about her here.

I mention her because Dr. Bonnie Henry is a shining example of how, even if we were individually forced to separate, isolate and lose the one thing we human beings crave the most – connection, we could still unite as a collective society in the cause to vanquish a greater foe without anger, incrimination or vengeance. In my books, the over arching results and success of her leadership during this crisis is a peek into the potential of human evolution and it took a wise, mature woman to show us the way. That’s real crone confidence.

With every syringe injected into the arm of a willing receiver, we come nearer to closing this dark chapter in modern history. How can that not bring you hope? Sure there are folks who vehemently appose vaccinations – that is their choice. Still it is those who are deciding to take the risk, perceived or not, and get vaccinated who will enable us all to move forward once again and return to our mundane, general lives. For that, I thank you.

Hope is a wondrous thing. It lightens the soul and lifts one’s spirits. We could all use a heavy dose of that. But what of the lessons learned during this world crisis? Do not discount them and brush them aside as you return to normal. Normal no longer exists. Instead, what I ask of you is to take a lesson from the actions, and the continual warrior cry of Dr. Bonnie Henry during this pandemic – be kind. Those two words are how a new, even better normal might evolve and eventually flourish.

There is light at the end of the tunnel folks. We are not there yet – but oh, so, close. The days are bright, the sun is warming and a page is turning in the great history book of mankind. And I for one can’t wait to hug you all.