Are we heading for a brave new world?

I have a strange thought in my head. Or maybe it’s not strange. I think that when we are finally given permission to go out and congregate I might well feel inclined to hunker down and hide a little bit longer.

I dont think I’m fearful. Although I do think that relaxing the quarantine will create a second wave and a second lockdown… I mean what else could it do, without a vaccine…and that’s a good 12-18 months away. I mean we haven’t even got reliable testing yet. We don’t know if those who have had it are immune from getting it again or another strain. We don’t know if they can still carry it. I mean. CV19 won’t have gone anywhere. So when we start mixing again it’s bound to re-present itself. I guess that’s what the curve flattening is all about.

Makes me wonder what will happen in those countries where action was taken quickly and deaths have been extremely low, like New Zealand and Taiwan.. are they just delaying an inevitable?

But that’s not why I’ll probably hunker down for a bit longer. I think by the time we are free to gather I may feel a bit agraphobic. I sense that being at a big party or in a big crowd might just be too overwhelming. That releasing all that has been pent up over the last weeks and months might be too damaging to my sensibilities.

What am I trying to say? As I trundle, bungle and stumble through this strange jungle, I find that all my minor(ish) emotional and mental traits and foibles are on high alert. Everything is exaggerated. Which for someone like me, and probably you, is quite alarming. As you may know, if you follow my ramblings, I go from calm positive, pragmatic, productive, to lost, lethargic, self doubting imposter, to mad, evil, physo bitch without cause or warning. Amplify that quagmire of emotional and mental confusion and what you get is…

…well what you get is a fucking shit show of rage and confusion

Followed almost directly by me offering a pragmatic solution like Zoom coffee mornings and positive memes; to me disappearing off the face of the earth (well social media world); to contemplative blogs and sharing positivity meme; then productive days; then days I can barely get up; then days like today where I’m so damned angry but am getting it out through energetic dusting and hoovering.

I must be sick. I’ll take my temperature and have a lie down. Nothing drives me to cleaning other than either the imminent arrival of paying guests.. and that sure as hell isn’t happening. Or a visit from my mother-in-law, or pregnancy… and, seriously, I know we’re in lockdown and a baby boom is on the horizon, but I’m 53 and perimenopausal… never mind the fact that Hubby had the snip a long time ago, so even if we are at it like rabbits, which I am not prepared to confirm nor deny, a baby brother of sister for the existing family is definitely not going to be on the cards…

I think what I’m trying to say is that, as quickly as this situation exploded into the world stage, the rebirth of post cv19 life is likely to be slow . And after the initial euphoria, is likely to be disappointing at best. Like post-war Britain, everything will have changed. We will have lost people we care about, we will have all developed new ways of getting through our days and our relationships, many of us will have new roles or no role. Priorities will have changed. It will take a long time for a new world order.

If we continue to measure the world economies with the same measures not only will we all, as world nations, be in deep doodoos, but we will also be sorely disappointed.

We have learned over these last months that some of the most ‘important’ people are those financially compensated the least : volunteers, charity workers, carers, postmen, bin men, shop assistants, shelf stackers, nurses, policemen…

We’ve also learned that, with the right motivation, it is possible to prioritise healthcare for all, feed a nation, farm local, buy local, end homelessness, respect the resources of the earth… but it can only come when health and wellbeing are at the heart of an economy rather than profits and monetary wealth for the few.

We will need to look at our systems of governance; at how we live alongside the wellbeing of our planet; about what economic success really is and to whom; at why we value football players and people prepared to get their kit off on reality tv over our tradespeople and service providers. We will need to stop seeing the foreclosure and reduction in air travel and airlines (for example) as a failure and start looking at it as beneficial to the longevity of our home world.. we need to think more locally; value our communities; support small business; our farmers and growers; be less greedy; more grateful; consume less; enjoy more.

And we will. Now is time for a revolution. A new way of behaving and thinking. Reprioritise compassion, sharing and caring.

And look again at our world.. Remember how the arts, music, creativity, for example have got is through this. All that amazing initiative and ingenuity over the world wide web. Let’s harness that.

But in the meantime, let’s not race back to ‘normal’: let’s just try and readjust ourselves first and then create a new set of priorities for ourselves, then our families, then our communities, then our societies, our countries and the world.

It’s going to be a long journey, hopefully with some really good views.