One of the things I have heard over and over again during the current pandemic and accompanying social distancing guidance and restrictions is how much people are looking forward to “getting back to normal.”

I can say that I am not among them.

Now, obviously I want to see the end of a deadly virus and the preservation of human life through the development, mass production and widespread access to a vaccine. I don’t want to see another human life lost at all.

But the social distancing lifestyle? Sign me up.

While it may seem contradictory to my profession, I’m not an overly social person. I don’t enjoy hugs and if they were outlawed forever, I don’t think I’d miss them one bit. Avoiding groups of more than 25 people doesn’t sound like just good medical advice during a deadly pandemic but a way of life I could certainly get used to.

Staying at home is something I advocate strongly for on the regular anyway. After all, why pay a mortgage on a house if all you’re going to do is sleep there? As much as I love craft beer and good food, I haven’t really missed dining out or going to local establishments as much as I thought I would either.

Forcing people to give me space when I’m in a store??Yes please!

While there’s plenty of uncertainty and concern to be had about the state of our communities and our nation as we navigate the coronavirus-infested waters of 2020, I have truthfully found a fair amount of peace in the simplicity this situation has brought to my social calendar.

I guess that’s my silver lining.

I know I’m representing a very small minority here. And I get it. Humans, as we’ve been told many times, are social creatures by nature. Some people really enjoy social interaction. Some need support. I respect all of that.

But as we come out the other side of this situation, I really hope some aspects of social distancing are maintained.

I’m not talking about hiding myself in a cave and becoming a hermit. But man, I have a hard time saying that I haven’t enjoyed being able to have some me time or a little extra room to breathe.