So how bad were the Covid years for those of us who did not get sick or lose loved ones?
Yes, for some, pretty bad. They lost loved ones. They got sick, themselves. For those, it was as bad as it could get.
But let’s talk about the others.
It seems sacrilege to say that we didn’t have much of a problem with the pandemic years.
Oh sure, I read all about the people who feel their kids were harmed irreparably by lack of socialization with their peers. Or that they, themselves, were lonely and stir crazy. Yeah, I hear people talk about their suffering.
I just can’t relate. We had a pretty full life during those times, at least by our standards. So maybe it’s individual.
But.
I can’t help but wonder if it was really all in how they looked at the lockdown. For example, kids have been homeschooled since time immemorial and it didn’t scar them for life. Many were successful. Probably just as many (if not more) than those who went to school. Some homeschooled kids even went on to Ivy League colleges and high visibility careers. Wrote books about it, even.
So were kids who were having such a hard time picking up on their parents’ pushback to Covid reality? Their parents’ anxiety? Did the parents take ownership of the situation and make the lock down as much fun as possible? Look for creative ways to interact with their kids or for their kids to interact with others their age even if online?
I mean, it’s not like kids don’t game and do other things online. Gone are the days of kickball in the street. Most kids are centered on their devices. So why would kids all of a sudden be unable to cope?
Did parents take an active role in ensuring their kids had creative and interesting activities? Or were parents hunkered down in their own fear and denial?
Was it a failure of parental imagination?
I don’t know. I just know what I suspect. And yes, you’r right…I can be pretty judgmental. I have a right to that. After all, I lived through this, too. And it seems both puzzling and obvious.
Over at our house, we barely missed a beat. We had a few friends in our bubble and together we’d gather physically distanced on our patio in the beautiful South Bay weather and enjoy time together.
I visited a friend at the nearby beach every so often. Had careful lunches with friends new and old. I read books. Wrote.
At home we continued to make regular use of our DVD and streaming services. People complain about Zoom, but we found it to be a great way to stay in touch with loved ones all over the place.
We began a tradition of weekly Zooms with M’’s family in Rochester, NY and Boston, and we continue to this day. Since we all align politically, we have those lively discussions, too. And talk about sports. It’s a full-on social event every Wednesday night that only served to draw us closer. And it only happened because of the pandemmic.
I managed through that era pretty well.
Way at the beginning I flew off to Rochester (NY) to push along our second home –closed and furnished it! and then M and the dogs joined me. We were careful but we did a few things with friends and family, took care to mask and take precautions and really, I didn’t feel we were the worse for it.
As things opened up, we traveled a bit more. Carefully. We started with London l and then Hawaii …and more as the years went. on. Covid did catch up with us in late 2023 at the Formula One race in Las Vegas. Then, milder cases again this past April in our hometown. But we survived.
I have to admit we are a pretty self-contained unit. We’re not as social as we once were and that’s been fine with us. Both of us had careers that required a whole lot of interaction with others, so we don’t feel we missed out. This life in retirement has been a respite from having to be “on” all the time.
Via Zoom I began classes in solo performance and two years later we evolved to in-person classes. Always masked unless we were on stage. I take voice lessons via Zoom. Would I have done those things if not for lockdown? Probably not.
We’ve been lucky. But we are also not stupid. We believe in science so we are fully vaccinated and I am rabid about masking and handwashing, even now. We are in our 70s and didn’t want to lose the Covid years –and we don’t feel we did.
I think everything in life is what we make of it, including Covid.
I hated them. Immediately our business was closed. It was our only form of income, so we had to turn to very clever devises. We began cooking meals and although it was very hard to continue shopping and even finding food sometimes – we were always protected. Neither of us got sick even though we were out every day. We knew from the start most of the mandates were excessive. Our parks were closed, churches (except for bars) my hairdresser who works for herself would come to our home to cut our hair, our dog groomer came to our home, her only form of income, a great many people weren’t paid to stay home. We received one grant even though we could prove our income had dropped 75%. 2 of my children lived in better run states and were fine, but 2 were teachers and that was a special hell. They knew their zoom classes weren’t working, and children hardly learned anything. I had 3 grands during Covid and we couldn’t be there. No one allowed in the hospital. My daughter had twins and was really sick for most of her pregnancy. She went to the hospital twice and no one could be with her. I became more and more bitter toward a system I knew wasn’t working. Teens were affected the most, playing sports in masks at one point, no rooms, football games…life was taken away. We made the best of it, and certainly were stronger for it, but it was an extremely difficult time. I also believe in science, but I know the experts got it wrong, On many levels. I have incredible drs and they were clear and direct with my protocols. I know some folks didn’t miss a beat, but for so many it was a financial and personal debacle.
You might have thought the mandates were excessive, but those who lost loved ones (and whose loved ones’ bodies had to be refrigerated there were so many) disagree and with good reason. Mandates were needed–they were protective in those early pre-vax years. The experts got it right, in my opinion and they were working in uncharted waters. Monday morning quarterbacking is always perfect, isn’t it?
One of my favorite restauranteurs jumped on this right away and managed to have an excellent, active takeout business during those early months and year.
I think it was a horrible time! My sister lost her husband to COVID 4/20! He had just turned 65! My mom was moved to asst living in May 2020 I could only see her outside till Oct 2020 when she was dying and only by appointment! I had to beg the place to let the priest in for Last Rites! And I was scared for myself!
The kids it was tough especially for those graduating etc!
Can kids bounce back absolutely but it was hard for them too! We live in NJ
My mom also died in Nov 2020 could not have a funeral mass!
And I forgot to mention after my brother in
Law does his bod was placed in a refrigerator truck for 3 weeks because of back up at crematorium!
Sorry to be so blunt but it was not a good time at all! Your blog just hit a nerve!
Yes. Those who lost loved ones really suffered, as did those who died of it … which I acknowledged right at the front end of the post: “Yes, for some, pretty bad. They lost loved ones. They got sick, themselves. For those, it was as bad as it could get.” So no disagreement with any of what you wrote, as you see.
That horrific scenario is why I had no problem with the restrictions and why I think those who pushed back against them were tone deaf.
Attitude is everything. And as we age, we tend to feel sorry for ourselves more and more. John and I MOVED during Covid. CRAZY, but we made it happen, wearing masks as we drove our car cross country from LA to Chicago. On arrival, wiping things down, washing groceries in the sink. My mother raised me to know that you can do anything if you have to. John and I did. We moved. We were fine, and also, we were blessed.
I have to say, I was affected very little. I even had Covid once and barely knew it was there. The shots laid me much lower. Still, it was very tough seeing all the death and misery on the nightly news. Some people were very affected and all my sympathy goes to them.
It was torture! I’m a hugger, so, until we were able to be vaccinated on April 1, 2021, I went grandkid hugless. Agony!
But I agree that it all comes down to attitude. It was a new adventure. And adventures, although you always learn something, are not always fun! They do make great story fodder, though!
It’s funny, but now that it’s in the past, it seems…shorter than it was…
I do want to give big upa to our attitude. You may think I’m just feeling sorry for myself, but we didn’t lay down and die. We don’t walk away from our home, we figured out how to survive and we did. I followed what my Dr said, he told me wiping down groceries wasn’t going to help, I was smart enough to see the same checkers at Costco for 2 years so I knew life was survivable. My Dr told me to go outside even though park police thought we should wear masks. I watched families move to Utah so their kids could play sports. Getting scholarships is a real thing and kids just weren’t getting covid. My circle of friends is wide, children, teens, young moms and dads and folks like me. I might be Monday morning quarterbacking but when I found out they knew so much more than they let on I vowed to never be so trusting again. Not a lot of people would have gone to the lengths we did to financially survive. It was so hard to shop every day, stand in lines every day, go to several stores because they would run out of meat. I stood in line for an hour once for rice. Maybe it was easy for you and I am glad, I wouldn’t wish death illness or struggle on anyone, but it was stupid hard
COVID prevented me from seeing my son who had just joined the Navy, yet created a testing ground for my boyfriend (now husband)—who I had been dating for a year—and my compatibility. I hunkered down at his house for three months! I now live here.
Wow, a good example of the ying and the yang of those years. It was quite something, now that I look back on it. But looks like you had a dual experience. And we did, too.
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So how bad were the Covid years for those of us who did not get sick or lose loved ones?
I hated them. Immediately our business was closed. It was our only form of income, so we had to turn to very clever devises. We began cooking meals and although it was very hard to continue shopping and even finding food sometimes – we were always protected. Neither of us got sick even though we were out every day. We knew from the start most of the mandates were excessive. Our parks were closed, churches (except for bars) my hairdresser who works for herself would come to our home to cut our hair, our dog groomer came to our home, her only form of income, a great many people weren’t paid to stay home. We received one grant even though we could prove our income had dropped 75%. 2 of my children lived in better run states and were fine, but 2 were teachers and that was a special hell. They knew their zoom classes weren’t working, and children hardly learned anything. I had 3 grands during Covid and we couldn’t be there. No one allowed in the hospital. My daughter had twins and was really sick for most of her pregnancy. She went to the hospital twice and no one could be with her. I became more and more bitter toward a system I knew wasn’t working. Teens were affected the most, playing sports in masks at one point, no rooms, football games…life was taken away. We made the best of it, and certainly were stronger for it, but it was an extremely difficult time. I also believe in science, but I know the experts got it wrong, On many levels. I have incredible drs and they were clear and direct with my protocols. I know some folks didn’t miss a beat, but for so many it was a financial and personal debacle.
You might have thought the mandates were excessive, but those who lost loved ones (and whose loved ones’ bodies had to be refrigerated there were so many) disagree and with good reason. Mandates were needed–they were protective in those early pre-vax years. The experts got it right, in my opinion and they were working in uncharted waters. Monday morning quarterbacking is always perfect, isn’t it?
We cooked from home and people would drive by and we brought it out to them
One of my favorite restauranteurs jumped on this right away and managed to have an excellent, active takeout business during those early months and year.
I think it was a horrible time! My sister lost her husband to COVID 4/20! He had just turned 65! My mom was moved to asst living in May 2020 I could only see her outside till Oct 2020 when she was dying and only by appointment! I had to beg the place to let the priest in for Last Rites! And I was scared for myself!
The kids it was tough especially for those graduating etc!
Can kids bounce back absolutely but it was hard for them too! We live in NJ
My mom also died in Nov 2020 could not have a funeral mass!
And I forgot to mention after my brother in
Law does his bod was placed in a refrigerator truck for 3 weeks because of back up at crematorium!
Sorry to be so blunt but it was not a good time at all! Your blog just hit a nerve!
Yes. Those who lost loved ones really suffered, as did those who died of it … which I acknowledged right at the front end of the post: “Yes, for some, pretty bad. They lost loved ones. They got sick, themselves. For those, it was as bad as it could get.” So no disagreement with any of what you wrote, as you see.
That horrific scenario is why I had no problem with the restrictions and why I think those who pushed back against them were tone deaf.
Attitude is everything. And as we age, we tend to feel sorry for ourselves more and more. John and I MOVED during Covid. CRAZY, but we made it happen, wearing masks as we drove our car cross country from LA to Chicago. On arrival, wiping things down, washing groceries in the sink. My mother raised me to know that you can do anything if you have to. John and I did. We moved. We were fine, and also, we were blessed.
I think that’s true about attitude. Life went on for many of us–we adapted. We were of course, the lucky ones.
I have to say, I was affected very little. I even had Covid once and barely knew it was there. The shots laid me much lower. Still, it was very tough seeing all the death and misery on the nightly news. Some people were very affected and all my sympathy goes to them.
It was torture! I’m a hugger, so, until we were able to be vaccinated on April 1, 2021, I went grandkid hugless. Agony!
But I agree that it all comes down to attitude. It was a new adventure. And adventures, although you always learn something, are not always fun! They do make great story fodder, though!
It’s funny, but now that it’s in the past, it seems…shorter than it was…
Yes, so many things come down to attitude, don’t they?
I do want to give big upa to our attitude. You may think I’m just feeling sorry for myself, but we didn’t lay down and die. We don’t walk away from our home, we figured out how to survive and we did. I followed what my Dr said, he told me wiping down groceries wasn’t going to help, I was smart enough to see the same checkers at Costco for 2 years so I knew life was survivable. My Dr told me to go outside even though park police thought we should wear masks. I watched families move to Utah so their kids could play sports. Getting scholarships is a real thing and kids just weren’t getting covid. My circle of friends is wide, children, teens, young moms and dads and folks like me. I might be Monday morning quarterbacking but when I found out they knew so much more than they let on I vowed to never be so trusting again. Not a lot of people would have gone to the lengths we did to financially survive. It was so hard to shop every day, stand in lines every day, go to several stores because they would run out of meat. I stood in line for an hour once for rice. Maybe it was easy for you and I am glad, I wouldn’t wish death illness or struggle on anyone, but it was stupid hard
COVID prevented me from seeing my son who had just joined the Navy, yet created a testing ground for my boyfriend (now husband)—who I had been dating for a year—and my compatibility. I hunkered down at his house for three months! I now live here.
Wow, a good example of the ying and the yang of those years. It was quite something, now that I look back on it. But looks like you had a dual experience. And we did, too.