3 Thoughtful Changes During This Pandemic.
And it’s not what social media says
Every morning, when we login to social media, we see inspiring stories about how people are spending meaningful time in this pandemic. Many finally found the perfect lifestyle. Many found their dream morning routine.
This article isn’t going to be similar to what we see in the Insta Stories or TikTok videos.
Life is far from such flawless motivations. Life is more about getting depressed but knowing the way back to stability. We struggle and are sometimes even lazy to rise from the depressed phase. But that’s normal.
This leads me to the first thing that changed in me during this pandemic.
The Concept of Depression
I have always been familiar with this mood disorder. It’s a very commonly diagnosed mood disorder that affects people differently. But never was this disorder taken seriously by the people around those who suffer from it. I can confidently say,
“This pandemic brought a new light to this illness not only for me but also for many others out there”.
Before this pandemic, when I knew someone was depressed, I didn’t think I needed to talk to that person as, to me, depression was very personal. I accept now, depression is a part of our everyday life. A result of irregular and unpredictable amounts of various emotions such as happiness, sadness, disappointment, fear, uncertainty, and many others.
I remind myself- being depressed doesn’t mean I am not able to filter information; being depressed doesn’t mean I am can’t handle the pressure; being depressed definitely doesn’t mean I had unrealistic expectations. It can simply mean, I am tired of wearing the mask every day when I step outside my room.
This brings me to my 2nd change. A thing I feel will stick with me forever.
Cleanliness, Sanitization and Mask
Have you ever felt panic when you are watching your favorite “Friends” episode and you realize there is a social gathering?
Remember that strange pop-up of “Covid” in your mind when you are holding hands with your loved ones?
Well, if it didn’t happen to you, Congratulations, you can retain your sanity as it was before the pandemic. If it did happen to you, Welcome to the world of New Normal!
“A new normal that will be a lesson through history, and likely yours and mine’s insanity, for example.”
The pandemic completely changes the idea of cleanliness and sanitization for people. Alcohol spray and sanitizing lotion is part of our everyday routine. I am going to skip the necessity of using disposable cutlery when there are guests, and of course the necessity to think parties are lethal.
I guess the masks are going to stay here for a while, and soon enter the beauty and fashion industry as an inseparable part.
Finally, when I noticed this 3rd change, I was very disappointed in myself.
The Value of Life and the Meaning of Death
The pandemic made us value lives. The whole world has come together to help each other fight the spread of the virus. People are rethinking the value of spending time with family and friends. It has also changed the meaning of death.
Death has become a mere number that everyone is fighting to reduce.
On the contrary, fewer deaths are no longer sensational. The severity of the one or two deaths is pale compared to hundreds of death reports during this pandemic. Let’s see two news headlines-
The first headline is sensational, and the second one, not so much. Honestly, many people are avoiding the news these days. Maybe that’s the reason why things are not improving. To conclude, we should hope this insanity doesn’t last forever. A little care, a little consciousness, a little action might change the systematic degradation of our humanity and our society.
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