Life Before COVID-19

It really wasn't that long ago when life was, relatively speaking, normal or was it?



This week is spring break for Gwinnett county teachers and students. Lots of people had vacations planned, weddings to attend, families to visit, but plans had to be canceled. Life is on hold.

Do you remember what you had going on when this virus shut it all down?

For me, it was Thursday, March 12 when things got serious. March 13 was already a scheduled day off from school. I was looking forward to a three-day weekend. I had plans to get my oil changed and to get ahead in my assignments for my year long online class. I know, pretty exciting right.

I remember the days leading up to March 12, and The Hubs pleading with me to stay home from school. He was worried for both Buddy Roller and me. He didn't want us catching the virus. He wondered why the school system was taking so long to make the decision to close. I had been watching the news too, and I was growing more and more anxious because of the news coming out of China and because of the fear brewing at my school. It was only a matter of time before there would be cases close to home.

The news would come later that day, on March 13. Schools would be closed the following week. And the next. Now we're looking at online classes through the end of April. At this point, no one is sure when schools will re-open.

I would never wish for there to be a fatal virus in the world; one that would cause us all to "reset".  I don't think anyone would, but I can't help but reflect on life before Corona and how many of us, myself included, were in a never ending rat-race, each day, rushing through life, stressed out and overwhelmed, only to do it again. And again. But at what cost?

Now in the midst of Corona, everyone has to take a pause. Life as we knew it, is a memory. And I know we will return to how things were at some point, but can we just pause in this moment and realize a few things?

Doctors, nurses and all healthcare individuals, who are on the front-line of this virus, are soldiers.  Armed, hopefully with needed masks and protective armor, they are putting their lives at risk to take care of really sick people.  They are emotionally and physically exhausted.  Last night, on CNN, one doctor said she held the hands of dying patients because their family members could not be there. She has done that again and again. Imagine that.

We have had to think outside the box and solve some major issues these past few weeks. Look at New York. Out of hospital beds, operating rooms and space to care for the sick, they've turned Central Park into a make-shift hospital, and they've welcomed the US Navy's hospital ship to help overburdened healthcare facilities.

Parents who said they would never in a million years home-school their children are doing just that. Because they have no choice. Maybe they're realizing it's not so bad. Or maybe they're seeing just how valuable teachers are and how that profession is devalued and underpaid.

Lately, we've been urged to say home and only venture out for "essential" travel. But how do you define "essential" travel these days? A lot of the things we once had to venture out for can be done from the comfort of our home. Groceries and medications can be delivered to your home. Companies that once forbade employees to work from home, have no choice but to allow it.  Workers can still be productive from home instead of wasting hours each day in traffic. Staff meetings can still happen virtually.  Psychologists and therapists can still "see" their patients. You can attend church online.  A check-up with your doctor can happen over the phone. My husband just had one yesterday via WhatsApp. Now this can't happen for every appointment, for every patient, but within reason, certainly it can. Things have certainly changed these past few weeks, and maybe there are better and more effective ways of "doing" life than the way we were doing it before the Coronavirus.

Besides all that, I think most families are treasuring this quarantine with their loved ones. This time reminds us what is really important and how life can really change in an instant. I know I am thankful and grateful for this time. But I know this time will eventually end, and when it does, I hope we can remember the lessons we learned and not be so eager to return to the rat race.