When you read this, I may be feeling lousy. I just had my second COVID-19 vaccination shot, and antibodies generated by my first are about to begin their struggle against the new invaders. Many people have found this uncomfortable.

But my feeling right now, as I write, is one of relief and hopefulness that we’ll all soon jettison social restrictions that have made the past year so grim and weird, plus admiration for the efficiency of the operation that got the life-sustaining juice into my arm.