"This is the 'New Normal' now."
We've all heard this sentiment in one form or another over the past year. Wearing a mask everytime one ventures outdoors. Socially Distancing oneself from others. Limiting the time we spend indoors with strangers. Altering the way we spend Holidays, celebrate with family, practice our religous preference etc and so on. Coming up on a year now we've been experiencing the "New Normal" in real time.
Of course this isn't the first time mankind has experienced a worldwide pandemic. Not even close. And it got me to thinking. For all the uncomfortablity, sadness, economic hardships and fear that this pandemic has brought, and it MOST DEFINATELY has brought all that and MORE, the pandemics of the past must have been a lot scarier to the individuals who went through it, say, a hundred years ago. Just the simple fact that information and communication is, literally, all at our fingertips relieves a whole BUNCH of that fear and uncertainty. The world is a much smaller place because of it.
I think about how my ancestors must have felt during the flu pandemic in Dublin during the early part of the 20th century. Not only were facts and information about what exactly was going on hard to come by. Those facts and information wasn't as availible as it is today. The doctors and experts of the time just didn't have the tools, medicene and knowledge about such things that we have in abundance today. The lack of all those things must have compounded whatever fear and anxiety people were already experiencing. They experienced things at a level which is very difficult to comprehend.
Which makes me grateful that we live in the era we do. It's not perfect. Not by any means. Not even close. But in retrospect, as a whole, we're doing so much better then our ancestors were able to. And THAT makes me hopeful for the future.
I'd like to remind you that the brand new episode of The Nutty Chronicles is right around the corner! To ensure that you're all set to recieve it the moment it's availible simply click on the link to the right that corresponds with your particular Podcast Player. It's just that simple! :)
