A Place in History
What historical event or contexts – way back in time or more recently – have affected you individually or as a family?
I would have to say that the coronavirus pandemic has had a huge effect on me individually, on my family, and on society as a whole. Little did we realize in March of 2020 how our world was getting ready to change.
The virus at first was something that we heard about happening in “other places.” China and countries across the big pond seem to be most affected. Then we heard of cases in the United States, but those seemed to be confined to New York and other northern states.
Eventually, cases made their way to North Carolina, but still, even then, it seemed so far away. When the governor said we would be taking a break from schools on March 13th, it began to ring a more serious note.
Then there was the lockdown. Living on my own at the time, I wondered how and if it would directly affect me. That question was soon answered, as I went for days at a time without seeing anyone in person. When cases started showing up in the county and city I live in, it really began to hit home. Then there were people that I knew who contracted the virus. And the eventual people I knew had actually died as a direct result of contracting the virus. It truly had hit home in a seemingly short period of time.
I always thought I knew what it was like to be isolated and alone. But when you’re not able even to go to your favorite cafe’ to be around others, it really has a huge effect. I never knew how much I depended on being around others, whether I knew them or not. And perhaps most noticeable of all, the traditional family Sunday dinners we had always had were discontinued. We attempted to do video conferences and get-togethers using various platforms, but it never was quite the same.
I think fear played a large part in many people’s lives, including my own. Fear that somehow we’d contract the virus or perhaps unknowingly pass it along to someone else. Masks had become a part of everyday life and even those didn’t seem to prevent some from contracting covid. Vaccines would become available months down the road and even then, there were no guarantees of immunity.
Our lives had definitely changed. Things that we had taken for granted became more cherished, especially time with friends and family. Things would eventually return to normal in some respects, but in many ways our lives had changed forever. I’ve got a lot more to say on this topic, but for now, that’s it.
David Lee 