Today, I'd like to do a lockdown check in. How are you doing? I think the big thing is how we're handling it mentally. I'm up and down, just like the rest of humanity. Like all of you, I see the pros and cons of working from home and all of these stay at home orders (did I mention that I have time at night for the first time since grammar school? I'll be crying over that when life returns to normal!). I've accomplished a lot with writing, around the home, and personally,but of course, I get stir crazy at times. Then I got out to get groceries or home supplies, see the chaos out there, and run right back home gasping and saying "Bad idea! Never mind!" These are confusing times. I honestly don't know when life will return to normal, how much of that "normal" I want back, or if it's safe. I'm no medical professional. I'm also no germaphobe, but I don't want COVID-19 either. It seems there are no good answers, and no place to get them. It's day by day. Lots of prayer. Planning where we can, and having faith for the rest of it.
One concern I have is how we react coming out of COVID-19 (whenever that is). I wonder if all of this talk about "establishing a new normal" will pan out. Early on, we saw the benefits of slowing down, and wanted to embrace them in a more "normalized" way. But now, people are getting antsy, and they just want to get back to it. I fear the majority of people will be so eager to get back to life as it was that they'll forget about some of the benefits they found, and allow themselves to be forced back into the old norms by those in power who were benefiting from it. Then we'll look back months or years later and say "Remember the break we got from this madness during the lockdown? Why didn't we remember to change 'normal' when we went back to it?" Then it will be too late for any effective efforts.
We need to prepare for the "after" right now, while we're still in quarantine, if we're serious about embracing a new normal. Sadly, though, resolve is already slipping, and I'm afraid it won't happen. We'll go right back to the same old chaotic lifestyle, and the only ones making changes will be the rare individuals who are desperate to at least make a better life for themself even if the rest of the world forgot about it when they got caught in the whirlwind again. Do we really need "catch up" on every single thing, or can we let some of it go? Can we be brave enough to admit what we did and didn't miss, and act on it? Can we learn to say "no" to things that don't fit immediately, instead of allowing our calendars to slowly fill back up until all of those dots look like chicken pox again? Maybe, but it will be harder if we don't take a stand immediately. We need the backbone to claim what we want right when we start to establish this "new normal" that we talk about. No "enjoying it for a little while and then I'll do something about it." If you can protest, then you can make personal decisions about what you want in your "new normal" and lay the foundation for implementing it right now.
But those are just my musings. Perhaps you agree. Perhaps you think I'm too fatalistic, and I'm not giving people enough credit (I hope this is the case, as I'd love to be wrong on this!). Most likely, we'll wind out somewhere in the middle. In the middle of what? That remains to be seen. I just hope it's not the same old chaos that burned us out before.
That's all today. Take care, and have a great rest of the week.
Bye!
One concern I have is how we react coming out of COVID-19 (whenever that is). I wonder if all of this talk about "establishing a new normal" will pan out. Early on, we saw the benefits of slowing down, and wanted to embrace them in a more "normalized" way. But now, people are getting antsy, and they just want to get back to it. I fear the majority of people will be so eager to get back to life as it was that they'll forget about some of the benefits they found, and allow themselves to be forced back into the old norms by those in power who were benefiting from it. Then we'll look back months or years later and say "Remember the break we got from this madness during the lockdown? Why didn't we remember to change 'normal' when we went back to it?" Then it will be too late for any effective efforts.
We need to prepare for the "after" right now, while we're still in quarantine, if we're serious about embracing a new normal. Sadly, though, resolve is already slipping, and I'm afraid it won't happen. We'll go right back to the same old chaotic lifestyle, and the only ones making changes will be the rare individuals who are desperate to at least make a better life for themself even if the rest of the world forgot about it when they got caught in the whirlwind again. Do we really need "catch up" on every single thing, or can we let some of it go? Can we be brave enough to admit what we did and didn't miss, and act on it? Can we learn to say "no" to things that don't fit immediately, instead of allowing our calendars to slowly fill back up until all of those dots look like chicken pox again? Maybe, but it will be harder if we don't take a stand immediately. We need the backbone to claim what we want right when we start to establish this "new normal" that we talk about. No "enjoying it for a little while and then I'll do something about it." If you can protest, then you can make personal decisions about what you want in your "new normal" and lay the foundation for implementing it right now.
But those are just my musings. Perhaps you agree. Perhaps you think I'm too fatalistic, and I'm not giving people enough credit (I hope this is the case, as I'd love to be wrong on this!). Most likely, we'll wind out somewhere in the middle. In the middle of what? That remains to be seen. I just hope it's not the same old chaos that burned us out before.
That's all today. Take care, and have a great rest of the week.
Bye!
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