A specific day? I’m not sure. But I helped put my family back together after an absolutely brutal year that went straight into the pandemic. I brought my divorced parents back together. Not together-together, but they’re friends and we all hang out together. I care for my mom with my wife and sister’s help; got her much healthier and off alcohol. I care for my dad and got him independent. I helped mend their relationship. I mended my relationship with my brother who I didn’t speak to for years in lieu of this fallout and after battling it out with literally hundreds of thousands of words back and forth in letters.

I have one last puzzle to solve. In time, hopefully…

I’ve been so happy and grateful to spend time with my family largely as a whole again. To see my parents brighten up so much while playing with their grandkids is something I’ll always have as a core memory. Takes me back to my own childhood, too.

When asked if I’m better off now than I was 4 years ago, I can’t answer more instantly and definitely yes. I never want to go back to those terrible years, where covid was the least of my issues. Sure there is a lot of chaos in the world right now and this election is making me anxious, but I know my kids and family are much better off than what people are dealing with elsewhere in the world right now and I refuse to take that for granted.

So I guess I’m expressing a more slow burn of contentment.