My husband and I are both now fully vaccinated, but it feels strange, almost dangerous to think about going out into the world again after being safely nested inside our comfortable Denver home for a year.

I feel lucky and optimistic that scientists, the government and manufacturers were able to come up with a safe (and we hope effective) vaccine so quickly. There are questions, that scientists say there are answers for: why isn’t there an HIV vaccine yet after almost forty years?; why did this vaccine get developed so quickly?; what if another, worse pandemic come along (as is likely)?

For me, at least, it’s better not to borrow trouble and be thankful for what is, and go about life albeit more cautiously this time around. I’m thankful for every day of health and well-being.