KENNETT SQUARE — Americans enjoy freedom.
Compared to last summer, many more individuals and families are traveling again.
Governments limited travel last year across the country and around the world. In places such as Ireland and Australia, major travel and leisure activities remain not only restricted but also banned.
For some, the last year was a lesson to reconnect with nature, to maximize feeling good every day come what may — the essence of well-being.
Health.
“I’ve been running every day,” said Kennett Square resident Brad Meyer, who is a contractor. “I’ve been going to parks.”
He often visits the Susquehanna River, especially in Holtwood, Pennsylvania, at the Pinnacle.
“I’ve been hiking trails. I’ve been playing golf more,” Meyer said. “I’ve been outside way more.”
“I went to vacation in Ocean City, Maryland,” said Aimee Ednie, owner of the Bombshell Styles for J is a beauty salon that specializes in blonde tones and wedding hair looks. “We’ve been back open full-throttle — no masks — totally back to normal,” Ednie said.
The Landenberg boutique Bombshell Styles for J on Route 896 in London Britain Township near the Mason-Dixon line where Pennsylvania meets Maryland and Delaware.
The Bombshell Styles for J owner being on a family vacation this July was simply “awesome.”
Chad Williams, of West Chester, said his family has plans to go on vacation later this summer. The Williams family traveled to South Carolina this past spring.
“We’ve been living as back-to-normal as we can,” said Williams, who is the father of four children who he raises alongside his wife. “We’ve had sporting events and weekend trips, and family get-togethers.”
The family has spent some of their adventures this summer visiting parks and the beach, Williams said.
“You really just have to live your life as best you can without being restricted by what the government and what institutions want to do. Once it became clear that the hospitals weren’t overrun, that you had to be cautious but you had to go on with life, that you had to try to get things back to normal as much as possible under the circumstances,” Williams said regarding 2020.
“Life just basically changed overnight,” Williams said. “When there was a lot of certainty, the prudent thing to do was to be cautious and try to not create risks.”
That which is most important for his kids to know, other than that they are loved, is that they really have to live their own lives, Williams said.
“Ultimately we are each responsible for our own lives,” Williams said, “and we should try to live as freely and with much energy as we possibly can.”
Meyer concurs.
The pandemic caused him to take action. Exercise, Meyer said, has become more of a necessity, especially with the pandemic.
A lesson Meyer said he learned since 2020 was the importance of valuing and improving his well-being, through nature and exercise daily, “rather than to be scared and lock myself up and watch the news.”
During the shutdown 17 months ago, Meyer said, “I wanted to be proactive.”
Meyer added of health and wellness and his new daily habits, “It’s a life choice.”
Of exploring nature and exercising every day, Meyer said. “I feel better. I think better. I have more energy. I’m just better all around.”