Am I ready for “normal”? What will it look like?

Large crowd gathered at a concert - Caption: Am I ready for normal? And what will it look like?
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Am I ready for “normal”? What will it look like?

Can it be true? Are we finally getting to the end of this pandemic? So many times in the last 15 months, I’ve allowed myself to believe there was a light at the end of the tunnel. More often than not, that light turned out to be a freight train. But there are signs we’re getting closer to winning the battle. This has me asking some big questions. “Am I ready for normal?” and “What the heck will it look like?”

After a slow start to the vaccine rollout here in Canada, things are starting to look up. My husband and I both had our first shots in mid-April. Barring more supply issues, we should both get our second shots in the next couple of weeks. My daughters both had their first shots in late May, and my 88-year-old mum had her second a couple of weeks ago.

If we continue on our current path, we could see things open up more over the summer. So how do I feel about that?

A few weeks ago, Bill from A Silly Place challenged his readers to write about how they felt as things appear to be headed back to normal. Thanks for the challenge Bill!

Was “normal” really all that great?

It’s human nature to pine for things we no longer have. In my opinion, the pandemic has shone a light on the state of humanity and it’s not pretty.

Like any crisis, the pandemic has brought out both the best and the worst in us. My faith in humanity has been shaken by some of the behaviour I’ve seen over the last 15 months.

While most people did the right thing, it saddened me that many just couldn’t bring themselves to put the needs of others ahead of their own personal convenience. It has been a challenging time, but the pandemic restrictions paled in comparison to the hardships of wartime. I was also amazed that people put their trust and faith in questionable sources instead of doing their homework and listening to the scientists and medical experts.

Last May, when I naively thought the pandemic would be over soon, I wrote about 10 changes I’d love to see in our world. If nothing else, the pandemic gave us all a chance to pause and reflect. If we rush in and start living exactly the same as we were last February, we’ve lost the opportunity to learn from this.

Instead of blindly picking up where we left off in our crazy, hectic lives, let’s think about what we want normal to look like in the future. Let’s make the 10 changes I wished for a reality. If we do that, the last 15 months will have been worthwhile.

Mixed feelings

I have mixed feelings about things opening up again. On one hand, I’m more than ready to resume some of the activities I previously enjoyed. On the other hand, some things still make me nervous and likely will for a while. I’ve grouped activities into three categories – things I’m ready to do right now, things I’m unsure of, and things that really make me nervous.


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Things I’m ready to do right now…

I’ve missed so many things over the last year, and some of the things I missed the most are the simplest of things. Here are things I’m excited about, and will feel comfortable, doing as soon as the restrictions are lifted.

  • Attending small family gatherings.
  • Giving and receiving hugs.
  • Socializing with friends at home, or at their home.
  • Getting a haircut. My last haircut was in February. I’m starting to look like an old English sheepdog.
  • Holding a new baby. Our niece is expecting a baby girl in August. I’d love to be able to hold the baby when she arrives.
  • Resuming Friday lunches with my mum. Pre-pandemic, my mum came over for lunch every Friday. I have missed our visits so much.

And for the record, if I need to wear a mask to do some of these things, I’m totally cool with that!

Things I’m unsure of…

Beyond these items, there are some activities that I still need to take some time to get my head around.

  • Going out for dinner. My birthday and our wedding anniversary are in July. I’d love to go out for a nice dinner, but I’m just not sure I’m ready. Maybe we’ll stick to takeout for a little while longer.
  • Sipping drinks in a bar or on a crowded public patio.
  • Singing with other people. Singing is the one activity that I have missed the most. I did return to church for a few weeks around Easter time and sang in a very small choir, wearing a mask. It would be great to have an unmasked jam session and really let loose. Sadly, I think it might be a while yet before that can happen.

I hope it might just take a couple of months of stability before I’ll feel confident with these items.

Things that really make me nervous…

This last group of activities are things I’ve loved in the past but they pose the biggest risks in a world that’s recovering from a pandemic.

  • Travelling on a plane. Let’s face it, commercial flights were germ-spreaders at the best of times with passengers crammed in like sardines. Even if airlines continue to require masks, the idea of sitting in a plane with hundreds of strangers kind of freaks me out. Add to that the recent news reports of passengers fighting each other over wearing masks and I just don’t see me wanting to hop on a plane anytime soon.
  • Attending large gatherings like concerts. I love live music and I’ve missed concerts and trips to the theatre so much but this is another area where a lot of people are in close quarters. The Elton John concert I was supposed to attend in Toronto in March, 2020 has been rescheduled to February, 2022. I hope it’s okay by then!
  • Returning to a crowded office. I’m not sure when we will return to the office, but I’m curious to see what protocols will be in place. Although not as crowded as airplanes or arenas, it will be difficult to maintain adequate distancing, especially in an office like mine with unassigned seating. I’ll wait for more information before deciding how ready I am for this.

I’m also concerned about losing some of the peace and calm of the last year and a half. There were things about staying home, and a slower pace of life, that were actually pretty good. I think it’s up to each of us to strike our own balance and establish our own boundaries. 

Let’s take a deep breath

Beyond the practical, I think what scares me the most is other people. I’m worried that people will go overboard, throw caution to the wind, and put others at risk. We’re already seeing some of that as things gradually open up here in Ontario. The variants are still a concern and the last thing we need is a 4th wave.

At this stage, we all need to take a deep breath. Let’s support each other as we transition back to normal. Above all, let’s be patient and not expect everything to instantly feel like it used to. If we can manage to do that, we might just be okay.


How do you feel about a return to normal? Join the conversation below.

Large crowd gathered at a concert - Caption: Getting Back to Normal - How Am I feeling?
Hi there! I’m Michelle and I live in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. I am married with two young adult daughters. I’m a big fan of reducing waste, using less plastic, decluttering and simplifying life as much as possible.

22 thoughts on “Am I ready for “normal”? What will it look like?

  1. We just went into level 4 again… the announcement came out an hour ago, and both mine and my daughter’s birthdays are in about 2 weeks. It was supposed to be a big 30th celebration for me… traveling was too but I was ok to downgrade to a tasting menu dinner or a spa day… neither are an option. So while I see many stories of people talking about life getting back to normal, I’m wondering when the hell my country will sort out vaccines. Even the over 60s have t gotten jabs yet! Some healthcare workers too… ugh!

    1. Oh that is so frustrating. I’m sorry to hear that Shelly. The region we live in is a Delta variant hot spot so we’re getting left behind this week as the rest of the province opens up. It’s my birthday and our wedding anniversary in a couple of weeks and it looks like no celebrations for us. My daughters just had their 21st and 18th birthdays, and also Colleen finished high school. It feels strange not to celebrate these milestones properly.

  2. After getting used to the new normal, the return to the old one causes me some apprehension. First, the possibility that people will be less careful because they are vaccinated, when we are not yet out of the woods. There is a lot of public health concern about the Delta variant. Then, having to take public transportation, with the buses and light train full to capacity, really doesn’t appeal to me. But one of the things I miss and look forward to is swimming. The municipal pools have been closed for months and I can’t wait to get back to doing laps. Finally, I’m trying to stay optimistic that things will eventually get better and that we will have learned from this pandemic, at least I hope so.

    Corinne

    1. Thanks Corinne! I’ll be fully vaccinated as of Tuesday but I still plan to be cautious. The area I live in is a hotspot and the Delta variant is a big concern here. The rest of the province is opening up and we’re staying behind. That doesn’t bother me too much, except I need a haircut really badly. LOL

  3. I have been dismayed at people’s selfishness. The beaches, beauty spots etc. in the UK have been full of people and not much social distancing has been going on.
    We shall see.

    1. It is disappointing and risky because the variants are still circulating.

      They are talking about reopening the rest of the province – except the region where I live because we’re a hotspot – next week. We’ll see what happens. I’m grateful to have my second vaccine booked for next week.

  4. I have my first vaccine jab booked for this weekend, and it feels like a weight has been lifted.

    I am with you when you say, ‘my faith in humanity has been shaken by some of the behaviour I’ve seen’, as it saddened me to see how others lacked a sense of empathy and understanding.

    I have mixed feelings as well, but I like how you have separated activities into three categories.

    Right now, in the UK, we have a sense of normality back. Pubs, shops and more are open, but masks, bookings and certain restrictions are still in place. I wish others would be polite and have a bit of empathy for others. A little understanding goes a long way.

    Thank you for sharing this post; it is nice not to feel like the only one concerned about this topic. 😊

    1. So glad to hear you’re getting your first jab. I’ve got my second booked for next Tuesday. It has been disappointing to see how some people behave. I’ve tried really hard just to focus on my own behaviour.

      We are still under a lot of restrictions here in Ontario. The rest of the province is opening up more next week, but the area I live in is a hotspot so we’re delayed. It’s frustrating but at least I won’t have the pressure to be out and about until my 2nd vaccine kicks in.

  5. Things are starting to open back up here and a lot of events are starting to pop up with no limit of people and no mask requirements. It’s like there was no pandemic at all. I’m still going to stay away from crowds, though.

  6. I am with you, Michelle. It is scary because you never know how the public will act and as you said, if they go overboard then we are back in the loop. I thought your list on the things you were ready for were so tender and nice. They made me smile. I hope you are able to do them soon and safely.

    1. Thanks guys! Ultimately, I suppose all any of us can do is control our own behaviour. If nothing else, the pandemic has made me realize it’s the simple things that bring us joy. Yes, I miss concerts and singing, but it’s the small day-to-day things I miss the most. Lets hope we can all have more of those soon.

  7. I feel very similar to you Michelle. There are certainly elements of the old ‘normal’ that I feel nervous about. It’s mostly big crowds but also small things like shaking hands with people you’ve just met or touching the buttons on ATM machines. We definitely had more of a ‘devil may care’ attitude to some quite unhygienic practices! I guess the pandemic has just highlighted these and made us realise how easily germs and illnesses spread through some of the simplest acts. My new ‘normal’ will look a bit different because I will continue some of my pandemic habits long term x

    1. Thanks Jaclyn! It will take some time. I’ve heard that shaking hands will be a thing of the past which seems strange to me. When I meet someone, it’s just a reflex to shake their hand. Like other things, it will definitely be a hard habit to break.

  8. I think it’s going to feel very weird going back out to big public gatherings. I can barely stand going to the farmer’s market. But I do miss ‘normal’ (whatever ‘normal’ is supposed to mean in this crazy world).

    1. It will feel strange. I haven’t been to the farmer’s market in almost 2 years. My husband goes occasionally. Our market is a big tourist attraction and it’s just way too crowded.

      I think it’s going to take time for us to redefine our own version of normal. One day at a time!

  9. I would be the same way. I’d be ready to jump back to some of the pre-pandemic activities I did but not all. I’d want to wait it out before I go back to the gym and concerts. As for the office, I don’t know how I’d feel about going back. It’d be nice to see my workmates again but also I’ve been loving working from home. There’s definitely a lot of reflecting I have to do.

    1. It is a lot to think about, Liz. People are putting so much pressure on the government to fully open things up. Personally, I think there’s a lot to be said for a gradual approach.

  10. Great post Michelle! Things started opening up here a little after Memorial Day at the end of May. There are things I’m comfortable with, and things I’m not. Like you, I’m not planning on returning to a hectic schedule. I have enjoyed the peace and calm, and I’m keeping it!😁

I'd love to hear your ideas. Drop me a comment below.

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