Navigating the New Normal

As I entered a store recently, I saw a child and parent shopping for school supplies. It brought a smile to my face. Yes, it was that time of the year, the beginning of school. But, of course, the smile that came to my face was covered by a KN95 mask that I had been wearing since about April. Yes, we are in a “new normal.” I’m not sure which phrase is more popular, the “new normal” or getting “back to normal,” but it is certain that things have changed. In addition to returning to school, autumn brings other reminders of change: a new Supreme Court term on the first Monday in October and new sports seasons for the NBA, NFL, and NHL. But the newness of fall 2020 is radically different, and we must learn to navigate it successfully.