How soon we forget.
It doesn’t take long for human nature to kick in and forget what we have just been through (and will continue to go through for the longer term). Perhaps it’s a matter of wanting to forget, or desperation to go back to the way things were, along with the visceral desire to connect with more humans and feel more free again. Especially after being isolated physically for such a long time, stripped of our recent ability to essentially do whatever we wanted. And also the exhaustion that settles in from working so hard constantly to take greater care in all that we do to prevent getting and spreading this virus.
After announcements last Wednesday came in that the province of BC will be opening up around the May long weekend (mid-May), and in conjunction with beautiful weather hitting Vancouver, it seemed like everyone was suddenly outside and hanging out in groups. There were definitely more than roommates and families within close proximity to one another and together, and groups larger than pairs.
I watched as several boat parties rolled by in False Creek on Saturday night, people spilled out of elevators in my apartment building after an evening of drinking, and others gathered in the parks, and really anywhere there was a free spot outside.
Now don’t get me wrong – this is LOVELY. I am all for people connecting and gathering, as this is a natural part of being human, and what to me is worth living for. So it’s going to be interesting to see what results in a couple of weeks from here. Are we going to make it to the opening up, and what BC is calling Phase Two, for our province? As soon as we’re able to open up a bit more, are things going to actually get shut back down once again (perhaps even right before this can even happen), if new coronavirus outbreaks occur? If so, what will be the mental state of all of these people who were starting to get a taste of “regular life” again? I am concerned of what this will mean for so many, when we are already facing so many challenges.
It all leads me to be very cautious and thoughtful about where we will go from here as a society. And where I will choose to go personally, to be able to live a life that is worth living, and connecting with other humans to not just survive, but thrive in our current circumstances.
What I will be doing personally is creating a larger local social pod, with others whom I trust with their level of care, so that while I can potentially touch and get closer to more people over time, I can also ensure the safety of my immediate family, including my higher risk mother and my almost 14 month old nephew. I’ve been already doing this to date, spending time with those who I resonate with most beyond my family – my trusted circle, and those from whom I gain the most energy. While I’ve been attending and facilitating virtual events, it truly isn’t the same, no matter how much I try to convince myself, to ease the situation.
As someone who borders on the line of introversion and extroversion and has this change over the seasons and where I am in life, I notice this even more, and was grateful that I was recently feeling much more introverted and tired anyway, as a result of a really hectic but adventurous and fun last several months.
So let’s see what happens from here. I am hopeful that we are collectively capable of making the best decisions possible to ensure that we do not make too many mistakes as life starts to shift again for us. But intuitively, I feel like what this means is that things will go in waves, from harder and larger failures, to less and less over time as we adjust and learn. Just like our lessons in life itself. Besides, we have never done this before and I truly believe that everyone does the best that they can within their certain set of circumstances.
Photo credit: Rob Dumont Photography
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