It was not the back-to-back-to-back days of 90-degree weather last week that announced summer’s return to Maine. Rather, it was the 9 1/2 minutes it took me to drive the 0.4 miles on Main Street from the corner of Mills Road in Newcastle to the Bristol Road intersection in Damariscotta.
Increased traffic, vehicle and foot, is the true sign that summer has returned to the Midcoast.
It seems like forever since last summer. As it did with most of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic left a haze over the season last year. While summer did, arguably, take place, without the hubbub of downtowns and the return of many of our annual visitors from away, it just wasn’t the same.
I’ll be the first to admit that I sometimes get annoyed with the increased traffic – my first words upon arriving at my destination were an apology for being late as well as a complaint about the number of people walking into the street – it’s important to remember that for our local businesses that saw a sharp decrease last year, this season could be the boon needed to stay afloat.
It’s because of this reason that we all need to be patient as we get through the summer.
Based on the pages of classifieds and numerous Help Wanted signs popping up across the county, many establishments are facing this influx of business with less-than-full ranks. While it’s easy to jump straight to annoyance when checking out at the grocery store takes longer than you thought or the wait at your favorite restaurant is unbelievable, take a moment to remember that everyone is trying their best to get through.
The pandemic took its toll in immeasurable ways on all of us, but hopefully it did not take away our patience and kindness.
