Witnessing vaccinated individuals leaving the Paddock Mall in Ocala was a memorable experience I will never forget.
(Photo by Steven Cornfield/Unsplash) A man receives his Covid shot.
OCALA, FL - "I hope to never be back here," A beautiful silver-haired masked woman said while leaving Paddock Mall's vaccination site in Ocala. She recently confided to a greeter that she had finally received her second shot.
I couldn't help but notice the relief in her eyes, even as she sported her aqua blue mask and looked up towards the sky. It was a look of not only victory but hope.
As a 38-year-old Ocala resident, I wasn't there to receive a shot but, oddly enough, to do my taxes. So, I wasn't prepared for the emotional experience I would witness while venturing to H and R Block.
To get to my tax appointment, I had to pass the vaccination sign-up at the main entrance, where approximately 50 people eagerly lined up.
Running late, I didn't stop and observe, I just shuffled on by so I wouldn't rack up accountant fees. My mind was in a very different place than the individuals I hurried past.
When I finally made it to the secretary in the H and R office, I said, "Boy, that's a lot of people." She responded, "That's the way it has been every day since the mall opened up for shots."
I have since discovered the following:
- Since January 19, The Paddock Mall in Ocala, The Florida Department of Health in Marion County, Marion County's Fire Rescue, Sheriff's Office, and Police partnered with AdventHealth Ocala to offer mass vaccinations at the Paddock Mall.
- Appointments run Monday through Friday and occur between Macy's and Belk's. You can contact The Department of Health at 352–629–0137 or visit Marion.floridahealth.gov for more information.
- A recent Florida Department of Health COVID-19 vaccination summary report listed a total of 606 vaccines given on March 13–14 in Marion County, bringing the total number of people vaccinated in the county to 88,498.
(Photo by Obi Onyeador) A man smiles while pulling down his mask.
Returning to the site the next day
When I returned to the mall the next day to sign one more form, Again, I observed numerous seniors in line to be vaccinated. This time, I paused and observed the scene.
The sea of masks still resembled a dystopian novel, but there were different emotions in the air. I didn't feel doom, sadness, or despair like I had at the beginning of the pandemic.
This time around, as cliche as it may sound, the sun was shining, the air — calm, and the crowd full of peaceful vibes. It was a MUCH different atmosphere than a year ago when this whole mess began.
And on my way out, another senior caught my eye. This time an elderly man who clenched his fist and tucked his elbow to his side while roaring, "Yes!"
I then noticed that every vaccinated individual exiting those doors was glowing. Their sense of relief: contagious.
I didn't downplay this emotion.
My parents received their first shots a few weeks ago, and I was surprised at my own reaction after my mother, who has a preexisting condition, called to tell me.
My response: I cried.
And it wasn't your typical cry. It was loaded with happiness and relief mixed with a tinge of acceptance about what we all have faced this year. It was also the realization that although we've come so far, we are still not out of the woods yet.
Like everyone else, I have been doing what I need to do to cope. Trucking forward while an uncertain cloud hovers overhead. To function, I oftentimes ignored this horror lingering in the background of our lives.
But after receiving that call from my mom and then experiencing the joy of those vaccinated individuals at the Paddock Mall in Ocala, that cloud of uncertainty lifted a bit more.
And although it continues to hover in the distance, its has shifted off of my shoulders. This is progress.
And similarly to that Ocala resident at the beginning of my story, who said she "hopes to never be back here." I hope soon; we will all be saying something similar.