We kicked the last kid to the curb. (Not counting the 25 year old who refuses to leave. Not only won’t she budge, she is a scary corporate lady now and heaven help us if we make a peep while she is in a ‘zoom meeting’.)
Our baby, Willow graduated in 2020. She was supposed to head off to Queen’s University last September. We had a big family discussion last summer and she reached the conclusion that in light of the pandemic, a gap year would be best. We felt sure the pandemic would be in the rearview mirror by the time September 2021 rolled along. We aren’t there yet, but a sight better situated than last September (especially if you are an 18 year old girl hoping to hit some parties and smooch with a boy or two.) She did a lot of maturing this past year, and during a visit to her sister on the West Coast, decided to change course and study at the Sauder School of Business at the University of British Columbia (the sushi is much better there than in Kingston.)
I think there are very few people in this entire world, who haven’t been nudged off the path they were on, before Covid came onto the scene. This change in Willow is beautiful. She spent the year putting together grocery deliveries for seniors and vulnerable people who couldn’t risk leaving the house. She read interesting books, had lengthy discussions about risk and responsibility – and the fragility of life. And taught her father yoga!
It is a much evolved young woman heading to Vancouver than the one who would have gone to Kingston a year ago.

Isn’t that cool?