Will Life Ever go Back to Normal Again?

By Andrea Watson | December 4, 2020

2020 is almost over, but the Covid pandemic still rages on. It’s been a long year, with lots of death, loss, and fear for a lot of people. For those of you who have got through this year unchanged so far, perhaps this blog post doesn’t apply to you. For the rest of us, we have to ask, “Will life ever go back to normal again?” A good question, and one that maybe doesn’t even have an answer. Let’s dive into it anyway.

The best we can do here is look at our own lives and what has happened so far. My life has seen its ups and downs for sure. I have been through intense paranoia and anxiety, a deterioration of my mental health, and a relapse. On the other hand, I have also seen good things like becoming a freelance and blog writer, weight loss, and removal of “junk” from my life such as unwanted people, beliefs, and stressors.

Other people have lost a lot more than me. Some people have lost family and friends, jobs, homes, and other important parts of their lives. Facing these things on any other day is difficult, but facing these things without the advantage of a reachable support system is worse. Isolation takes its toll no matter who or where you are. We have to make sure to look after our own stress levels and mental health and take time for self-care.

When I think about our question, I think of what life was like before 9/11. I was a young mother then, and remember the day vividly. I remember life before the attacks less. I know we didn’t have all the crazy airport security. I remember that the hate and intolerance that flared for middle eastern peoples was definitely less before the towers fell. I remember life seemed safer, and more easy. After it all happened, that changed and it stayed changed for good. I think that this historical incident brought about a different feeling in the world at large that will never revert back to what it was.

Some events that happen in or to the world change the world forever. I can imagine that the bombing of Pearl Harbor was one of those events, as was the black plague and every other health crisis pandemic that has ever happened. It’s just that I have only ever seen 9/11 and Covid-19. I don’t remember any more of these world-shattering events happening in my lifetime. My children will remember Covid-19 and what else? I have no idea but I know that some things happen that we never forget.

So in answer to this question we are posing, I would have to say that no, life will not ever go back to normal again because this is just too big for us to forget. We cannot regain what we have lost. We cannot undo what we have been through. I can’t hardly imagine gong to the store without a mask ever again, although I hope I can one day. I am not saying that this is necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes even change that comes from tragedy can be beneficial in the end. Plus, life in this world will continue to change long after Covid is over, it’s just how things go. We have to look for the good that comes out of things so we can cope more effectively. I hope we can all roll with the punches and accept the changes we see. Until next time,

Andrea xo