Normally the holiday season is joyously awaited. The aromas of a shared celebration. Hugs from barely recognized family members. Feasting to the point of bursting. All tonics for the soul but now transformed into activities fraught with danger.

Virtual interactions offer a cure of sorts, but only ephemerally. No matter how much shared gaiety radiates through a video screen, the call has to end. And when it does, you find yourself back in an empty room, with that golden reality drifting ever more distant. The room seeming even darker in comparison.

I have been incredibly lucky to not have suffered the worst of this pandemic. I still have a reliable income, have been able to see many of my closest friends, and will be able to visit my family soon. But my experience is the exception, not the norm.

So today I want to give thanks to scientists for giving us hope. Knowing there is an end to this reality makes every pain more bearable, every day a step in a positive direction. This has certainly been a very very long tunnel, but there does finally seem to be some light at the end of it.