Thursday, the caution tape was gone from community playgrounds.

Thursday, the welcome light clicked on some dining rooms.

Thursday, the water in the pool at the Purks YMCA was no longer still.

Thursday, Vicksburg and Warren County took a bit of a breath.

After weeks of restrictions on area restaurants, limiting them to curbside, drive-through and pick-up services only, and other restrictions that kept children from playing on playground equipment, Thursday felt just a bit different; not normal, but an inch or two closer to what normal is or better yet used to be.

In moves made earlier in the week by Gov. Tate Reeves and Mayor George Flaggs Jr., along with similar easing of restrictions Thursday by the Warren County Board of Supervisors, residents in Warren County may actually be seeing that the light at the end of the tunnel is, in fact, hope and a return to normalcy rather than a train barreling straight for them.

In the coming days, it is expected state and local leaders will continue looking at sectors of the economy that can be reopened; it is expected salons and barbershops are to be the next sector to open under new guidelines. It will no doubt be a welcomed reopening, not just for those of us in desperate need for a haircut or a color, but to those desperately wanting to earn a living and provide for their families.

Thursday also marked the first time in three weeks that Warren County did not see a new confirmed case of the virus. The last time that happened, the number of cases in the county sat at 14; just 14.

Since mid-March, the story involving the COVID-19 virus has been about what it has taken from us as a community. It has taken two precious lives, infected 88 others, closed our schools, ended sports seasons and cost far too many their jobs.

Thursday was the first day we got a little something back, and it felt really good.