AFTER a year of not knowing what was happening from one week to the next, we are now at the point of the year where we can always say with confidence that we are in no man's land.
At time of writing, life has shut down in the hope that Omicron won't hit the household, and we can have some sort of Christmas with family.
The wheel of the year is turning again, as one year ends and a new one begins, naturally, we reflect on what has happened since we last travelled round the sun.
2021 has been the year of small wins, of simple pleasures - gradually getting back into running again, walking to the local for a cheeky pint or two, or my two-year-old singing along to every song in Frozen.
Neansaí's curiosity for animals, the sun, the moon, trees, flowers, has seen me reconnecting with nature. Rich, nostalgic memories of actively collecting leaves and tadpoles for the school nature table, of going for nature walks with my Granda when I was younger, fishing with my Daddy and trying to be quiet, have all come flooding back this year for some reason.
I have even bought houseplants and they haven't died - yet.
Pre-pandemic life was a life of gigs and sessions, both through work and in my own time.
The first gig back as MC was a beautiful duet gig with Ryan Molloy and Seán Óg Graham in the Harty Room at Queen's, 20 months after my last.
Some restrictions were still in place, seeing people in person for the first time in a couple of years was awkward initially, but it all clicked in again after a while. I left the gig elated.
That energy stayed with me the next week when I found myself backstage at the Grand Opera House to host a radio outside broadcast for the first time in well over two years.
The nervous energy and excitement were palpable before the gig. The roof lifted the moment the music started. It was great to hear music again, but even better to be in the company of world class musicians doing what they do best, and where they belong - on stage in front of an audience who had been starved of live music because of the pandemic, and who were loving every minute. Hearing that audience singing along that night will stay with me forever.
Although only watching online or on TV, sport provided so much joy this year - well, for this Tyrone fan it did. The ladies football and camogie championships were inspiring, as were Leona Maguire, Rachael Blackmore, Katie Taylor, Bethany Holt, Kellie Harrington - Hakuna Matata, no worries indeed. If only her positivity could be bottled and sold.
Tom Daley almost inspired me to buy needles and wool and try my hand at knitting again - almost. Tom's knitting promoted mental health awareness and reminded us of the value of crafts that we have almost let go.
Armagh musician Brian Finnegan performed his 2021 album Hunger of the Skin live in the newly refurbished Armagh Marketplace Theatre in early December. The album is a work of art in every way, and would never have been made but for the pandemic.
Over 20 musicians from all over the world play on it, but the music is rooted in the landscape, the folklore, the stories and the people of Armagh. It celebrates the value, and richness of what we have on our doorstep, at our fingertips, if we would only see it, and seek it out.
It didn't take a pandemic for our skin to hunger. We have been starving ourselves of true connection since the rise in popularity of mobile devices. Social media may have its advantages, but it can be an incredibly negative space.
This time of year is highly emotionally charged and a glance at social media timelines paints a picture of anger, frustration or denial. It's the time of year when the problems in life seem to be magnified.
Many are grieving; many for the loved ones they have lost, some for their pre-pandemic lives.
It has been easy to detach from life, from people during the pandemic, particularly when things got overwhelming. Yet again, at the one time of the year where we are used to re-connecting, we are back to limiting our contacts and keeping our distance.
Here's hoping that 2022 might bring meaningful re-connection.
