When the COVID-19 pandemic struck in late winter of 2020, it hit every community, every household, even every individual differently. Carlisle was no exception. Professionals transitioned from long commutes, bustling offices and business trips to working from home. Kids attended virtual school by logging on to their computers from their bedrooms. Grandparents couldn't see their grandchildren. Teens missed out on graduations and proms. Some people got sick. Others struggled with loneliness and frustration. Meanwhile, school administrators, Select Board members, and other town officials faced complex decisions about what was best for the community as a whole. In fall of 2021, with COVID-19 receding though certainly not over, a journalist and a community organizer put out the call to Carlisle residents and town leaders, asking them to share their unique stories about how they experienced the pandemic over the previous 18 months. Over 80 individuals responded – including a third grader, a new mother, the police chief, a college athlete, a school principal, a cancer patient, a minister, a Scout, a professional musician, a high school sophomore, a volunteer EMT, an 82-year-old, and many more. Their stories cover a rich and diverse range of experiences, reflecting the many facets of how the members of one small community weathered a historic event that almost none of them had ever expected to see.