CoronaVirus Pandemic - Has Life Gotten A New Normal?

Coronavirus or Co-Vid 19 has taken lives of so many Americans, along with many other nationalities, and may simply have changed our lives forever. Many states have been under a shutdown for 30 days or longer and some are looking to extend that now that May 1st is rolling around. Many families have completely changed to a new routine with children doing E-Learning at home, many parents working from home, and many without jobs due to this shutdown. Many feel that the shutdown and all the steps that government has taken is a full abuse of power, while others feel that the steps have been helpful and some have even asked why more has not been done. A nation divided is what we always will be, as not everyone will ever agree upon the steps to take in these times. 

As I listened to the governor's update yesterday on our state and the preparations we are making to return to an open society, I was thinking that I believe life as we knew it before the pandemic has simply vanished. Are masks going to be a new normal? Will the number of people in a business at one time be limited? Will schools change the way they operate? Have parents discovered that being home and a part of their child's life is important and that the job that was so important may have lost some of it's luster? Do parents hate eLearning? These are all things to consider after the pandemic has left us with a new look at life. I have seen many good things come from this pandemic as well. I have taken virtual tours of zoos and museums that I would never have seen in real life. I have seen many people coming up with fabulous ways to help their children connect with friends, many people finding a unique way to visit their loved ones in nursing homes, and even a stuffed animal zoo that a family is doing to raise money for the humane society. Creative and fun and a great teaching tool - a way to give a little joy to those that might be struggling some. Across the United States, there have been so many good stories of faith, human kindness, and someone lending a hand for someone in need. Those are the times that I hope we never lose following the pandemic. 

On Sunday, my husband and I had to make a supply run for his garage. I decided that I would wear a mask as the weather was nice and I was fully aware that people would be out more and I was so correct. I wore my homemade mask everywhere we entered and I am thankful that I did. We even left two stores without going in because of the lines in the parking lot going in and the number of cars in the parking lot. My husband is in the high risk category and I am not taking chances of being the one to give it to him. I began thinking that this might be a new normal for myself and others. Having to wear a mask in public, even into the bank where I could not wear a hat or sunglasses before this whole virus ravished parts of our country. Social distancing is a new normal word that I am sure will somehow be listed as the phrase of the year in December as we look back on 2020. 

20/20 is known as being perfect eyesight and I think that 2020 has given us a chance to look at our lives with a new vision and make some changes to ourselves as well as our society. Maybe families have grown a little closer and found new ways to interact. Maybe the kids are discovering a world outside the window, that may be changing, but still offers fascinating play opportunities and learning. Maybe a child that would normally be on the computer has learned that grass and other items in nature can be more exciting than the game he/she plays for hours on end. Maybe a board game with mom or dad or both has become a Friday night routine and needs to continue. Maybe dinner with everyone at the table has made a comeback. Maybe some good has come out of this and 2020 has opened our perfect vision to a world that existed before and that might very well change around us but can still hold some of those important values that seem to have gone out the window. 

Our state is still seeing hundreds of cases daily and I truly feel that our stay at home order needs to continue. I know others are not happy about it and I don't know that it will happen, but for myself I will be sheltering in place a little longer. I will be social distancing a little longer and I will be making more trips to the barn to visit the horses, but it is okay. We are healthy and I intend to stay that way!