By Bernie Bell
I’m beginning to wonder what will happen when we get the Covid ‘All-clear’?
Look at what happened when WW2 ended – people going wild in the streets. The general feeling of euphoria was expressed in popular culture, especially in the movies.
The feeling in those post war years, has been likened to the world….breathing out, after all those years of tension and restrictions.
It’s what we do – though we might not even realise we’re doing it at the time. My Mum was very ill – she died – I realised that I’d been in a state of tension for three years. I only realised, when – it was over.
I wonder will something like that happen, locally, nationally and globally? We’re all….up-tight at the moment, and will probably continue to be so for some time to come.
Being aware of this and taking steps to work with it – whatever works for us personally – whether meditation, gardening, knitting, walking, running! Listening to music, dancing – even if it’s only alone, in the kitchen!
Then, when the ’All-clear’ sounds – what then? Parties? Hard to imagine what it will be like.
I envisage a party with the people I like to be with, and the music I like to listen to – dancing dancing dancing.
I know, there’s the being able to hug people again – being able to meet up with people again. For some, including myself, just being able to go where there are people again – out for lunch or in the evening. But, that’s day-to-day, as we settle back into our lives.
I’m thinking of when the ‘All-clear’ first sounds, and we’ll need to ERUPT!!! It’s only human.
How do you picture it?
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Will there be an all clear signal at all? Or will it rather be a gradual process? More likely the latter… even if a satisfactorily performing vaccine is found, there may be issues associated with first-generation vaccines (which is completely normal), hence any return to normality will probably be slow and in steps. Recovery (financially, economically, mentally, from experienced grief, physically from long lasting health problems affecting the workforce and lastly associated with economic issues etc.) will take some time, quite possibly aggravated or complicated by home-made and/or self-inflicted other problems, such as Brexit and geopolitical issues…
The pandemic will not end at a certain date like a war which ends with capitulation or victory and people can feel relieved and start the clean-up. It will also not end like other natural disaster do… once flood waters recede, the hurricane has moved along…
We should not fool ourselves with the glimmers of hope that there will be an all clear signal any time soon, there won’t perhaps be any at all.
On the other hand, we must not lose hope!
But we should prepare ourselves that recovery may be a long road with hope being delivered in small digestable portions, a little bit more safety (vaccines and/or efficient treatments) and a little bit more freedom at a time, each to be appreciated and valued and celebrated accordingly.
My main idea was – the idea of how we hold things in, possibly without knowing we are doing so – then – release, whether immediate or gradual, can take us by surprise.
My personal ‘release’ when Mum died, was immediate – it then took years to work through my psyche – is still doing so.
Also – just the idea of – what will it be like when we can actually feel that we can go about our lives as we used to?
I know there won’t be an ‘All-clear’ – as such – I suppose I used that expression as words to hang an idea on. I was aiming more at …between the First and Second World Wars, then after the Second World War, there was – not just the initial dancing in the streets – there were years – decades, of people unwinding from what had happened. Look at the 1920’s and 30’s.
In fact, I was doubtful myself about how I’d expressed this, then decided to go ahead. My main idea, was to get some thoughts across which might be helpful. To get people to think about it – look at it – look at how they are feeling in and about themselves and the situation, and how that might change.
It looks like maybe that is happening. For one thing – we’re having this conversation!
Whatever happens, it’s going to be a strange business – a very strange business indeed.
But, we’ll adapt – it’s what humans do – it’s how we’ve survived…….
https://theorkneynews.scot/2020/03/28/the-word-of-the-day-is-adapt/
Yes, Bernie, it is a start to have this conversation.
And you are right, humans have adapted to changes in their environment… on the other hand, we are self-inflicting many changes also. Perhaps this pandemic (or the next one) will teach us that we should start to consider where and how to address the root causes and stop to self-inflict even more detrimental changes? Looking forward to a (hopeful) positive outcome and an emergence from the crisis should go hand in hand with a will to acknowledge that we are only a part of the system. If we continue to mess up, ‘normality’ will always remain under threat.
Babysteps… there will come a time when I can meet my neighbour again for a chat and a coffee, this is something I am looking forward to… whether it materialises next year or the year after…