July 13, 2020

A Brave New World

By Mary Schricker Gemberling

Good morning readers; it nice to be back! I am awake this morning at 5:00 AM, a post-pandemic habit that seems to occur more often than not these days. I surmise it is because I am not as active, or obsessed as my friends might say, with getting things done so my sleep needs have been altered. It seems that my entire being has just slowed a bit. Gary and I stay busy enough with 5 acres to mow, a large house to maintain, constant meal planning, and a plethora of plants to nurture. But the only deadline we seem to have is weather-driven; if we know rain is in the forecast we might have to adjust our outdoor tasks to another day or hurry and finish before the storms roll in.

Pre-pandemic and for most of my 50+ adult years I have been restricted by deadlines. As a parent, a teacher, a realtor, and even as a writer the tasks before me had time constraints, posed either by me or by circumstances beyond my control. These life roles and demands forced me to be an organized person with a lifestyle full of habits and routines.

In March when life took a 360-degree turn for most of us, our lives changed overnight. People were forced to work from home; others became teachers; relationships were tested; recipe books dusted off; internet connections became inadequate; unworn clothes hung in closets while pj’s, sweats, and wore t-shirts and jeans became the uniform day and night. A large number of workers continued in their regular jobs, but with the added fear and stress that they would become ill or endanger those around them. Retired baby boomers and beyond were required to put their travel plans on hold and grand-parenting became a remote activity. But regardless of the changes that occurred our habits and routes were
disrupted and adjustments had to be made.

During the first four weeks, I wasn’t sure what to do with my nervous energy. Because we travel a lot (and had three trips planned between mid-April and early June) I do not normally keep an overstocked pantry or freezer. In the frenzy of the immediate rapid rise of coronavirus cases and dour news of what the future might hold, I realized that there was going to be a new normal. I needed to make a cautious trip to the grocery store and prepare for several weeks of meals. My planning genes went into overtime in the kitchen and I cooked and cooked, trying my hand at homemade bread, desserts from scratch, and calorie-laden cuisine, all comfort inducing sustenance. The next decision we made was in the entertainment area. Other than an occasional visit to the movie theatre (because the popcorn is so much better there) Gary and I are not movie watchers. Our television viewing is normally limited to sports, the news, PBS or the history channel.

After a bit of research we decided to buy a ROKU and subscribe to Netflix. Much to our delight we watched movie after movie, at least until the weather was nice enough for us to be outside. We enjoyed this phase and even remarked on what great movies we had missed all these years.

When I realized after a month that we would be sequestered longer than I thought, I decided to take each room of my house and sort and clean out all areas that had been neglected in my previously busy life. That cleansing is always good for the soul. Gary also joined in my pastime and cleaned and organized his entire shop. He would go out to the isolated building across the field and work for hours upon hours, for several days. I realized later it was probably as much cleaning as it was peace and quiet from my constant chatter. All in all we survived the first few weeks relatively unscathed. I even said to Gary one day, “ This has actually been fun; no rushing around from place to place, or no schedules to keep; just doing what we want every single day with no pressure.”

And then the meltdown came! I was really feeling the effects of the isolation; I wanted to see my friends and my heart was aching to hug my grandchildren. And who did the governor think he was, trying to tell me I couldn’t leave the state and what about all those businesses that needed to open; our investments and our economy was suffering to a point of no return. Since I always shy away from controversial issues in my articles I won’t tell you what I really think about how the individual states handled the crisis. But what I will say is that my policy of not criticizing unless I have walked in someone shoes flew right out the window. Like everyone else I had an opinion about how things needed to be handled, and many of us became certified experts on what should and should not be done. Little good it did any of us except increase our frustration with the current conditions. What I do know is that I would not want to be anyone of those people having to make the tough decisions that would affect life both immediately and for many years to come.

The pandemic forced (or allowed us) to take an introspective look into our lives and the lives of our children and loved ones. The second-guessing is still not over for the single parent who, working from home, wonders if their child got the most they could from online learning; or the small business owner worried about how he is going to stay afloat; or the medical workers who still see when they close their eyes another victim taking their last breath. And a respite from grief may never come for all of those loved ones who could not see or be with their friends or family during the last days and hours of their lives.

But as with most situations, positive changes will prevail. Many people and companies know that it is possible for employees to work from home, perhaps allowing them to be better at all their life roles. We have seen the efficiency and benefits of video calls and telemedicine. Many people are now more proficient with technology. We all have all had long hours to think about what it really important in our lives. Gary and I wonder if there will be a surge of population growth in the otherwise dying small towns around us as some city dwellers assess the negatives of living in crowded metropolitan areas. Will some couples previously stretched by their materialistic lifestyles pull the plug on technology in exchange for more time with family. Of course, many of the changes will be subtle, and we will not know the real effects of this pandemic for many years or even decades to come.

I think, like most of you, I appreciate the constitutional granted freedoms of ‘life and liberty’ but what about the ‘pursuit of happiness’. That one has been put to the test. What really makes us happy? For me it’s hugging my family and friends; it’s traveling to places I have not yet seen; it’s leisurely strolling through a shop; it’s making the choice to eat ‘inside or out’ at my favorite restaurant, and it’s being able to walk into my chosen place of worship and share my faith with fellow parishioners.

Mary, a former educator and Seniors Real Estate Specialist, is the author of three books, The West End Kid, Labor of Love, and Hotel Blackhawk; A Century of Elegance.

Filed Under: Community, Personal Growth

Trackback URL: https://www.50pluslife.com/2020/07/13/a-brave-new-world/trackback/