That question – cum – title idea for a post has been bouncing around the caverns of my brain for most of this past year. And then a twin question surfaced this Spring as we neared rounding the corner on the Pandemic, bringing with it a glimmer of hope as a surge of people became fully vaxxed (myself included).
What in your life did COVID-19 interrupt?
What in your life did COVID-19 open up?
January 2020 – February 2020
One slice of life we were walking through in bullet points:
- After a full year of searching, we finally found a business to buy and were in the final round of negotiations for the sale
- We decided on an area of the country to relocate to, were about to finalize the house hunt and then begin moving – after waiting what seemed like forever to finally do this (I was already 50% packed and ready to go since the beginning of 2019!)
- Ultimately, we were poised and ready to sign on the dotted line for each of the above
- Meanwhile the business sale fell through – but we were still on-track with continuing the house search
- I got sick right before our planned road trip for the final house hunt which in turn delayed that focus and entire move – but we viewed that as a mere postponing of the process
- Then – March 2020 – COVID-19 took front & center on the world’s stage and everything came to a screeching halt
In our situation, it was more the momentum of our life that got interrupted.
What about you?
Covid interrupted many things, especially music. People, especially the older ones, seem to have withdrawn into their own worlds. Oddly, I seem to be busier now than before somehow, and do relish the time here. I get more sleep, not a bad thing, and try to stay healthy.
I’m thrilled your music is re-starting as part of your re-entry into a more accessible COVID world.
Laura, I wonder when we will be able to look back at this pandemic as we still seem to be in its midst! It stopped so much for everyone – my son had two terms of uni and then another one and a half years online, for months seeing no one but us. It’s hardest to see how it hit him, it was tough not to be able to spend time with my mother for four months, we’ve stopped all travel abroad including to the holiday homes in Sweden, I’ve missed not seeing my brother or family, barely seen my friends.
More than ever I appreciate nature, its harmony and peace, I love the garden and the space this and the house gave my family as I realised so many were not that fortunate, I’m grateful my loved ones are well and strong … somehow we are all a bit wiser, savvier and take nothing for granted any more!
Yes, Annika, I agree: we are still in its midst. I admire how you are weathering this long-term storm.
I wonder how the younger generations will look back upon these times?
For my family, it was expanding our family that covid put a fair halt to… The want, the means, the experts available- all of it has been put on the back . burner ….we’re just trying to survive (mentally) each day, really…
My heart goes out to you…
I turn my back on blogging for a few days, and you go ahead and publish a really heartfelt and significant post! Well done. I think more than anything, my wife and I learned how good a company we are around each other during lockdown and after. Of course, in many respect we’re all STILL in lockdown, aren’t we? But we’re grateful for no fights, very little arguing, and the joy of staying safe together. That and the vaccine made it all just a little bit better.
Well there you go, Marty. One of life’s surprises as displayed in the bloggosphere! HA!
Your account of being good company for each other during ‘lockdown’ reveals the solid foundation upon which you and Gorgeous built (and continue to build) your relationship.
Bravo!
ps-I’m assuming she’s in agreement with your assessment 🙂
At this moment, the momentum that seems to have stopped is that breath of fresh air and exhileration I was feeling after getting vaccinated. I thought we were on an upward swing and by now (fall) everything would be back to normal. That’s the momentum I’m mourning.
As am I…
From March 2020 to now – who’d have thought we’d be worse off at this point? And with all the tools now readily at hand to conquer the worst of this ugly virus.
🙁
What a great post to get people sharing, I just finished reading through all the responses.
For me COVID interpreted my progress of settling in to a new town and meeting new friends. It also made us reconsider buying a new house and instead just staying where we are at. We had some fabulous travel plans and had to cancel them all. But I learned so much during the time of the COVID lockdown including what is truly important to me.
‘COVID as the lens through which we interpret life’. Very philosophical, Tierney.
🙂
🙂
Yes, a screeching halt. And now, we all have a different perspective on life. I had to teach via Zoom. As awful as that is for children, we made it work. I hope I never have to go back. I never thought getting back to normal would take so long (still working on that), as I’m always the glass half-full.
“…as I’m always the glass half-full.”
That you are, Jennie!
Yup! Thanks, Laura. ?
The immediate things were the cessation of family things: the football we all attend, James’ football he plays, the kids’ education (and all of the momentous milestones leaving Primary School James would have experienced).
One advantage, afforded me for taking part in a clinical trial, was I was able to see my city in a way I’d (hopefully) never be able to witness again, while travelling across the Pennines by train, passing through all of the deserted stations.
Walking the deserted streets of cities in England, traveling through deserted stations, etc – such singular and defining images that clearly portray the landscape of a COVID-19 lockdown life.
Wow.
The impact it all had/has on kids will be unique and profound.
Laura, I’m sorry to hear about the challenges you faced in the past year, and the screeching halt of your plans caused by the pandemic. I wrote a whole book regarding the question you pose “What in your life did COVID-19 interrupt?” But the short answer, I certainly relate to your points about the interrupted momentum of life and with things that have turned out to be a postponement…
Wishing you a restful Sunday! <3
As you know, challenges are a part of life and the Pandemic added greatly to everyone’s individual set of challenges…
I’m wondering about the book you mentioned you wrote! Is it in the process of being published? Are some of your poems included along with prose? Do tell!
🙂
Yes, you make a good point, challenges are part of life. We’ll weather the storms, somehow.
About the book, it’s full-length book of poetry. Though there are some prose poems, because of it’s autobiographical nature, I decided not to include any prose but stick with just poems.
I’m busy querying the manuscript, at present and also submitting individual poems to literary journals, in the interim. So, I guess it will take time to publication. 🙂
Can’t wait to feast my eyes on a new volume of your poetry!
🙂
I’m in New Zealand, where things evolved in a different way.
I’ve fumbled through the pandemic – learnt things about myself. Then later when NZ was handling it better, things a bit normal. I fell ill – not with covid, mid Sept last year. I’ve had to relearn how to look after me and my health, some it has resolved, some not.
NZ bunny hopped through the last year or and more, occasional lockdowns but nothing as major as the beginning until NOW. My region is in a severe lockdown…
There are a number of things that I’ve had it easy on, I’ve got a gov’t old age allowance – I don’t have to go to work – I’m classed as vulnerable – I don’t own my home, but the tenancy is safe – I can access whatever I need – although I do have an offsite helper if I need something – I can stay at home – I’m fully vaccinated.
And I have plenty of art supplies to keep me happy – a secure internet connection – and enough food inhouse that I wont’ starve.
Yes a steep learning curve at times, but there is always support when I “ask” – I relearnt how to cook, that was crazy at times – and I found I quite liked “me and my solitary life” – home alone.
What would I change: well many people have got back to travelling around our country (I’ve no passport) and that’s an area I would’ve dearly have loved to have done, but the “falling ill part” has put paid to that. Maybe this summer – which by the way is nearly here, once Spring leaves town…
Excellent reflections on your slice of life during these times, Catherine. A good account of how us ‘normal folks’ are handling it all as best as we possibly can.
I hope your Spring/Summer NZ weather will help in dissolving the poison that is COVID-19 as ‘they’ say warmer weather helps in that.
And I’m glad you discovered a new-felt satisfaction in who you are in a solitary lifestyle.
A time to look inward, stay at home more, sometimes totally withdrawing from the human race, fractured friendships(maybe a blessing) ,growth in new friendships, a move to a new home(my friends and I celebrated their generous help this week and they reminded me how exhausted I was(think I still am, to a point.) Walks in the neighborhood. Learning how to use Zoom and it became a way of life in every organization I am involved in and still is, in most activities. Now our numbers of positive cases of the variant are rocketing upward to a tune of 1,ooo a day so we are going back to wearing masks again, though I never stopped. Hope I can still get to the mountains next week.
Very genuine reply, Jane…I can hear your ‘voice’ in this comment even though I’ve never heard you speak in the out loud sense.
🙂
I know you’ll get to those mountains one way or another – you always seem to manage that!
Things certainly changed. Overall we accomplished our goals, though everything was slowed down and the cost of everything went up. I’m just glad we’re all alive, well, and everyone eligible is vaccinated. Good luck with your new plans!
Yeah, you **did** manage to complete a house build during this Pandemic! Incredible, but then also very necessary. Now you get to enjoy the hard fruits of your labor and I’m so happy for you!!!
Thanks for the good wishes for our new(er) plans…so far, things are working out slowwwwwly but surely.
🙂
We were lucky that COVID didn’t interrupt our lives in any major way. The biggest difference was being sent home to work. I adapted to not commuting very quickly 😉 COVID did interrupt plans to see family, but thanks to technology, I kept in touch with everyone.
I’m so glad you did not have to go through the pain and suffering of juggling a new business and a new house when the lockdowns started. I’m sure you would have persevered but what a nightmare that would have been!
We are nothing if not resourceful, eh? I think like you suggested, the key word would be ‘perseverance’ in dealing with this continuing Pandemic – along with adapting. You are correct – we narrowly escaped a huge potential lockdown nightmare! Whew!
Covid interrupted my time with my grandchildren. My weeks of visits to libraries, fun activities came to a stop. Covid also interrupted my after retirement travels and activities with my friends. Compared to what some people have lost, I cannot complain. What I am finding it hard to accept is the people who do not get vaccinated and do not wear masks. They are causing problems for all of us. They are endangering our children. Schools in Texas are closing because of our governors no mask mandate. I am tired of being angry, but finding it difficult to deal with people who are living in a world of conspiracy theories and lies.
Thank you for speaking out Abuela Chela. You have managed to keep your Family love-line open & flourishing during this never-ending Pandemic and I admire you for that. You are a firm fighter for the cause of ‘saving the children’ just by living your life the way you do. It all counts.
Stay angry – it fuels our resolve – but do not become bitter…a hard balance I know.
We had bought a house a few miles inland to escape red tide, which had affected both of us severely. We moved in February, 2020, just as the pandemic began. We got covid in March and are long-haulers, still trying to overcome vestiges of the disease eighteen months later. Finding medical care in a new place during the pandemic was a bit of a challenge, but is largely resolved.
Fully vaccinated, and fully masked, we are are just now beginning to explore our new community.
Covid is a pebble dropped in a pond with ever-expanding ripples. I am so sorry your lives were disrupted, and I hope life is returning to normal, Laura. <3
Oh Cheryl, you guys were ‘long haulers’ before there was an awareness of it being a COVID category…
We are grateful we didn’t get caught in a new place and having to navigate finding medical care in a new place during the craziness that is still with us. So it was a blessed disruption, indeed!
That red tide is nasty – and it seems it’s becoming more prevalent, too. Very glad you’re reaping the benefit of better health by moving in that regards.
And: I wish there were a mask that states – “Fully Vaxxed & Fully Masked” as we too err on the side of caution and use our masks whenever things are inside and/or feel too crowded…
Stay well, friend.
Yes, to the screeching halt part. We were still celebrating the joy of retirement. I pictured a short term bump of happiness, but the high never went away. The feeling of no stress in our lives was amazing. Then COVID-19 happened and the stress came back. We’re doing relatively well, but it has definitely gotten in the way of life. How can I snivel when others have lost much more?
One thing it opened up was not to take things for granted. Now, my brothers and I Zoom each month. I’m more appreciative of life’s simple pleasures such as hanging out with my friends or taking a walk on the beach. We’re flying to Montana today to see our son. I definitely do not take that for granted, knowing so many others have lost their lives.
Amen and Amen!
I wish for you safe travels, Pete.
Oh my goodness, you really had some changes that ground to a halt! Our experience was a really going back to what we had been doing – hubs working from home, etc. It was not a big transition for us. We realized quickly the things that we had been doing frequently that we could no longer do, and also realized we didn’t miss them that much. As to what C-19 opened up, I have to give that a bit more thought.
…as with most things in life, whatever C-19 opened up for you is certainly a WIP.
I’m enjoying your abundant fiber art output in the meantime!
Hi Laura! Perspective!! I love it. One good thing during COVID is that my great-nephew was born on March 16, 2020. That was THE day everything shutdown by us. He’s been a sweet blessing. One unfortunate thing that COVID stopped was my shot for shingles. I had an appointment March 30, 2020, that I didn’t keep. Fast forward to July 2021 and I broke out with shingles. BUT, it has a huge positive spin included. Because the walk-in doctor didn’t recognize the breakout (it was not textbook shingles, of course), I had to see a dermatologist. She diagnosed melanoma on my arm and wouldn’t let me leave without sending in a sample. But for the shingles the melanoma wouldn’t have been caught as early as it was. SO, I am thankful for all of the events caused by COVID. It saddens me to think of all the losses that may have been avoided. Who’s to say? I believe this is part of the grand plan – a footprint on history that never really fades but we must adjust. {{Hugs}} I hope you and your peeps are doing well and staying safe. That business was not meant to be – at least, not at that time. ~smile~ Roseanne
Oh shingles – yikes! But wow! “But for the shingles the melanoma wouldn’t have been caught as early as it was.”
Your great-nephew (one of your cutie-littles) is a date bearer…a reminder of hope woven into the fabric of these times from the very beginning….
I’m with you, Roseanne, we must adjust – and I am grateful my experiences are so minor as compared to so many others.
BTW: you’re right, that business was not meant to be – whew!
I intuited the word before I deciphered it. Now how did that happen? Perhaps it was the phrase “opened up” that did it. Who knows how the brain works, but I am so glad you found what you found. (I am not going to write the actual word for fear of spoiling the game for the next reader.)
I knew you had had to cancel your plans when COVID hit, but I did not realise quite what a rough time you have had, Laura, until I read your bullet summary. You were thwarted at every turn. I hope more consolations are waiting for you.
It all seems such a long time ago – the beginning of this never ending Pandemic! Isn’t that word graphic something else? I found it on Google Images of all places!
It certainly is a graphic conundrum. Very clever.
Very little was interrupted in my life. But your story is one of close calls. Just think if you had closed on a house and were trying to move during COVID. Or start a new business. It could have become a financial nightmare.
Absolutely our immediate thoughts when March 2020 rolled around (see response to L.Marie’s comment). I like your phrasing, Laura, ‘close calls’. I’m mature enough to know delays often aren’t a bad thing!
🙂
Oh my word, Laura!! COVID has been the great interrupter. So sorry about your business and the other hard aspects of life.
I had manuscripts queried out. Since publishers pretty much closed for a large part of 2020, I was without work for a time. It has a difficult year. But God gave me a new client in 2020 that I couldn’t have foreseen!
Oh L.Marie, we were immediately thankful all ‘fell through’ when it did. To go into the Pandemic strapped with a new business to get going, along with relocation costs etc etc etc. Yikes! We definitely saw God’s Thumbprint in it all…
I’m thrilled with your huge unforeseen client – part of what this COVID ‘opened-up’ for you – via the Lord!
Generally, Covid 19 didn’t change a lot in my life…work went on as usual, except that now I wear a mask. I did have attitude issues since a lot of folks stayed home…the one thing that I wanted to do, but couldn’t. I am an ‘essential’ worker. I did manage to check my attitude by being grateful that I still have a job and was not standing in food lines. I am also grateful that Covid 19 did not ravage my family, including my 90 year old Dad, who recovered from Covid 19, and my daughter and her entire family. Very blessed!
That’s all part of this, isn’t it? Realizing we all have hardships in these times, but yet can count our own personal blessings while in the midst of them. So glad your 90-yr-old Dad is still part of the clan…his recovery clearly shows you come from sturdy stock!
😉
Hmmm…you asked…
My daughter missed the opportunity to spend summer n Italy as a student. I was going to join her in Venice. Venice is my number one bucket list thing. My whole family was in our rather small apartment fir 18 months. This was very trying n my nerves. My dad spent four months trying to get someone to give him a biopsy because that wasn’t considered necessary in early COVID, and because he was over 60. I watched my daughter lose a year of her dream college experience that she had prepared for for years, plus the thought of spending a lot of money fi4 her to essentially get half an education..as I clearly state…me not locking people in a closet was clearly the high point
Yep, I asked! That’s what this post is for – as an outlet to mention these things in a safe and casual environment. Hopefully seeing others’ responses will help us all know we are in the same storm – but definitely not the same boat.
I’m all for locking people in a closet, I mean, isn’t that what ‘lockdown’ means???!
😀
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