The Musings of a Latte Queen: Narratives of Everyday Life

Ahhh, 2020! Reclaimed dreams. Excitement. Sorority Centennial. Graduations, (2), Trips, Reunions, Concerts, Recitals .... The year that started with me popping sparkling cider and dancing in a room with my family has become the first quarter the stuff of scary movies. I, am probably not alone, when we wonder, what in the world happened to 2020? This was the year my oldest daughter was to vote for the first time (and did in a local election), but was to use her journalistic skills as a special projects cohort with Teen Vogue called Teen Vote. It was her senior prom year - dashed, her debutante - dashed, her senior spring break - dashed, and her college Admitted Student Days - dashed. Everything she was looking forward to that were kicking off during Spring 2020 is become the virtual reality I chagrined every time my son was playing video games. She is not the only one with moments of mourning what was, as the news in my state of more-and-more cases with increasing death toll...

She's back! With a steaming latte, sun streaming through the balcony, and her lounge pants as the work uniform of the day. I Never went away. Just enrolled in seminary and engaged in three years of intensive study, writing, contemplating, and trying to put spiritual meat on my social justice bones. I'm a womanist, always have been, and while an introvert, wondered what my good in the world could entail. One of the reasons I went to seminary was a credential I needed for some of the spaces I wanted to enter. My daughters were getting older and as I saw their Post-2016 world unfolding under someone who clearly was unfit to lead, I wondered about centering spirituality, study, and sisterhood. Now, here I am, back, in these Covid-19 times. My state is rapidly increasing with cases. What in the world happened between watching my high school Class of 2020 daughter contemplate college choices, go on an orchestra competition trip in early March, to come back to the world lite...