As 2021 ended, from my desk in the Executive Director office of a family resource center in Longmont, Colorado, I found myself feeling optimistic that the beginning of a new year would bring about a respite from all the stress and hardship that was created by the pandemic. After all, we did have reason for hope. The tidal wave of Omicron was subsiding, indications were that the spread of COVID-19 would continue to significantly decline, mask mandates were being dropped, and many aspects of life that many of us took for granted were returning to “normal.” [Read more…]