Walks at night helped me clear my mind, and I found myself taking them frequently. Taking a breath of fresh air after being stuffed in my room all day helped me relax. One night, I walked in the rain. No doubt from the drizzle, the park was desolate.

The swings had a layer of slightly muddy water on them, but I sat down anyway. The water soaked through my sweatpants, the feeling of being outside seeped into my clothes, and I felt the weight of the world coming back to me. The rain water soaked through my mask and stuck to my face, but the feeling wasn’t uncomfortable or confining, it felt normal.

In the rain, the old COVID life was slowly washing away.