Memoir Monday #49 (2/10-2/16) - What Do You Miss About the Pre-Pandemic World?
Memoir
/ˈmemˌwär/ noun. a record of events written by a person having intimate knowledge of them and based on personal observation. Usually memoirs. an account of one's personal life and experiences; autobiography. the published record of the proceedings of a group or organization, as of a learned society.
Wow, only three more prompts left! I couldn’t let Memoir Monday go by without the opportunity of addressing the most life-changing event of our generation, the Covid-19 Pandemic. I think most of you will agree that absolute everything is different now. It was an interesting thought-exercise to consider everything I miss. What do you miss? The answer to this question will surely open a flood-gate of memories and some mourning for the world that we’ve lost. More importantly, your answers to next week’s Memoir Monday prompt will serve as a bellwether to future generations. This is something we didn’t have the luxury of. There weren’t many personal accounts of the Spanish Flu Pandemic that survived. Let’s make sure this isn’t the case with the Covid-19 Pandemic. Share your thoughts, memories, and feelings.
Memoir Monday has grown so much that I won’t be able to comment on everyone’s posts anymore (and get my own work done) but I’ll still be supporting your posts with reblogs, votes, and shares on my other social media accounts (X, Facebook, etc.).
For all of those who’ve regularly participated in Memoir Monday - keep going, you’re making great progress in chronicling your very own life story for future generations to enjoy.
For those who missed the inaugural post explaining what the Memoir Monday initiative is all about you can find it here.
Now for next week’s Memoir Monday prompt:
What Do You Miss About the Pre-Pandemic World?
My answer:
Just about anyone who lived through the Covid-19 pandemic of 2019/2020 would probably agree that almost nothing feels the same now. It’s difficult to put into words. When I look back at my past memories now I think of them in terms of BC/before Covid and AC/after Covid because there’s just such a distinct bifurcation between those two time periods. It feels like we’re on a completely different timeline now.
What do I miss about the pre-pandemic world?
I miss the presence of my father — his unique view of the world, the smell of his chewing tobacco, his laugh, buying him presents, laughing with him, our visits, and talks on the phone.
Spontaneous and unhurried time with friends. Friendships are very different post-Covid. Arranging a lunch or hang-time is more like scheduling a business appointment now. Planning the simplest of get togethers now is fraught with reschedules, cancellations, and hard end times. Also, not as many people seem to consider socializing as important as they once did.
At least a smidgeon of trust that the government, media, and medical establishment are looking out for our best interest. So much about what we were told about the pandemic has been proven to be wrong it will be difficult to ever have any level of trust again. My opinion of how this pandemic was dealt with falls somewhere between ineptitude and predatory.
Life without worry. I remember older people from my childhood who lived through the Great Depression and how they still had scars from the struggles they lived through in the 1930’s. They were afriad to spend money, didn’t trust banks, and hoarded. These older people always seemed to always be preparing for the next crisis. The Pandemic years left our generation with very similar psychological scars that will be difficult to shake.
Thriving small, local businesses. The decade before the pandemic was the golden era of the American small business. I really enjoyed frequenting local restaurants and shops because you could feel the pride emminating from the owners and employees. This has become more and more rare as inflation and rents have skyrocketed.
Travel. Since I was a boy it was always my dream to travel the world. Between 2016 and 2019 I was lucky enough to see a lot of the world. Although it’s my plan to eventually resume I feel like the rhythm of of my travels were disrupted and it seems difficult to get back into the groove.
An undivided world. Our post Pandemic world is now much more divided and extreme. I feel that prior to late-2019 people’s opinions generally were more moderate. Now everyone has chosen a side and is an expert, are more easily triggered, and seems itching for an argument or to sway others to believe their opinions.
Good customer service. It seems rare to have a good experience when interfacing with any employee now. The customer service experience everywhere seems to have trended more in the direction of disgruntled and snarky than friendly and helpful. I’m thrilled these days if a cashier even makes small talk. That’s a pretty low bar.
Will the world ever go back to how it was before? I guess the answer to that question lies within each and every one of us.
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