Current Affairs: How Long Before We All Forget "Normal" Life?

in WORLD OF XPILAR3 years ago

After a good bit of shuffling around, we ended up inviting some friends we haven't seen in several months to come to dinner next week.

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We used to see them quite regularly — sometimes twice a week — back in the days before Covid and lockdowns and other things that seem to have become a "fact of life."

I got to thinking about going somewhere to see people; getting on a plane and flying to another city for a weekend getaway; holidays travel for family get-togethers.

I realized that I am already beginning to forget what "normal life" felt like; what it feels like to simply up and go to do something with someone, without having to take extra precautions and make special preparations. And even then, still running the risk that things might not turn out as expected.

It has only been slightly under two years, and I am starting to forget.

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Someone into conspiracy theory might fabricate an argument that that is precisely what "they" want to happen.

I've never been particularly convinced that there even is a "they" anywhere... most of what we do as a species tends to be the result of avarice, greed, the hunger for power and such things... on a far more individual level, rather than on some "grand evil scheme" level.

Let's face it, humanity has been able to screw up pretty much everything since the beginning of time, so the idea that some mysterious "they" are suddenly able to execute a plan for "world domination" without screwing it up royally seems pretty far fetched to me.

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But I tend to be a bit cynical!

Perhaps the deeper question here is what I miss about this thing I call "normal life?" Ultimately, it's not that much! The thing is, both my wife and myself are introverts who largely keep to ourselves even in "normal" times...

I miss farmer's market. Actually, our farmers market is still going on, but it's on a reduced scale with much fewer vendors. There are a couple of restaurants I miss... I miss getting to go from them, because we seldom ate in, in the first place! But they are permanently closed now. I miss going to arts and crafts shows, as a vendor with my artwork... that's something we just don't see anymore.

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But on the whole, these are somewhat "small" things.

Mostly, though, I just miss life without all the extra preparations and the collective germophobia!

Thanks for reading, and have a great remainder of your week!

How about YOU? Do you miss "normal" life? Do you REMEMBER normal life? What do you miss the most? Do you think we'll ever go back to the way things were, or something close to it? Do leave a comment — share your experiences — be part of the conversation!

(All text and images by the author, unless otherwise credited. This is ORIGINAL CONTENT, created expressly for this platform — NOT A CROSSPOST!!!)
Created at 20210929 23:48 PDT
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 3 years ago 

Thanks for the support; I appreciate it!

It is so difficult to answer you...

I am also sure that there is no "power" of any kind whose intention is to reorganise us by means of a pandemic. And I have had Corona patients around me who were not well. I take the virus seriously as a problem.

However, I do not approve of the way it is being dealt with, both politically and socially. The formation of fronts between people who previously saw themselves as open and tolerant is cruel and, in my opinion, irreversible. There is only one good and right and anyone who does not follow this is an enemy. Individual responsibility no longer counts; the state is portrayed and fired as a full-scale welfare provider. I was stunned by this for a long time, now I'm just sad and resigned....

I myself miss nothing except my work, for which I have to commute across borders, which has not been possible for 20 months due to restrictions and quarantine regulations. I am sociophobic, I can't stand people around me. I only shop online anyway and I don't use public transport. Nothing affects me personally. But I know suffering when I see it....

Es ist so schwer, Dir zu antworten...

Ich bin gleichfalls sicher, daß es keine wie auch immer geartete "Macht" gibt, deren Absicht es wäre, uns mittels Pandemie neu zu organisieren. Und ich hatte Corona-Patienten im Umfeld, denen es nicht gut ging. Als Problem nehme ich das Virus schon ernst.

Den Umgang damit, sowohl von politischer als auch gesellschaftlicher Seite, kann ich jedoch nicht gut heißen. Die Frontenbildung zwischen Menschen, die sich zuvor als offen und tolerant erlebt haben, ist grausam und für meine Begriffe nicht umkehrbar. Es gibt jeweils nur noch genau ein Gut und Richtig und wer dem nicht folgt, ist ein Feind. Es zählt keine Eigenverantwortung mehr, der Staat wird als vollumfänglicher Fürsorger dargestellt und befeuert. Ich war lange fassungslos darüber, jetzt bin ich nur noch traurig und resigniert...

Ich selber vermisse außer meiner Arbeit, für die ich über Grenzen pendeln muß, was seit 20 Monaten nicht mehr möglich ist durch Beschränkungen und Quarantänevorschriften, nichts. Ich bin soziophob, ich kann Menschen um mich herum nicht ertragen. Ich kaufe ohnehin ausschließlich online ein und ich nutze keine öffentlichen Verkehrsmittel. Mich persönlich trifft gar nichts. Aber ich erkenne Leiden, wenn ich es sehe...

 3 years ago 

Thank you for the thoughtful response @weisser-rabe, I appreciate your visit!

I hear what you suggest here about taking sides against each other; that has become quite a large issue here in the USA. The biggest "fight" now is between those who have been vaccinated and those who have not. It has all been handled poorly.

I can't imagine not being able to see the plan behind this. One would have to be willfully blind at this point to think this all just happened by coincidence, and chalk it up to people being greedy.

 3 years ago 

Without a doubt, there is "a" plan or "many" plans behind this, but I sincerely question there being just "the" plan — far too much random opportunism and different groups we might call "they" moving in contradictory directions.

No group of people — however, rich, powerful or influential they may be; for good or for bad — has ever been able to come together and agree on everything and flawlessly execute a plan, from Egyptian and Roman times to modernity... seems incredibly unlikely that there suddenly would be a unified "they" orchestrating all this in unison.

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 3 years ago 

Thanks for your support; I appreciate it!

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