The Future

The other day, one of my granddaughters asked me what I thought the world would be like once the pandemic is over. It seems to me that the signs are already starting to appear when it comes to the new post-pandemic normal.

            For one thing people seem to more community minded, to care more for those around them, be they relatives or neighbors, than they used to. People are more conscious that many individuals have lost their income and are struggling in so many ways. That’s the reason people who are in a position to do so have been generous in supporting all sorts of agencies and volunteering to help to those who need it. People are also checking regularly on those around them to offer assistance. I believe that this caring will continue because the pandemic has taught us that we must rely on each other if we are to survive.

 Right now, loneliness is a major side effect of covid as people have been isolating at home and working remotely and, as a result, are cut off from regular outside relationships. One fellow who has been working at home for almost a year told me recently that he not only misses his coworkers, but that he also misses his connection with those he saw everyday--from those on the commuter train to the young woman who prepared his coffee every morning. “They are not friends by any means,” he said, “but I still miss not seeing them, not interacting with them.” In the future new normal, I believe we’ll be much more aware of all those who make our lives more pleasant in many small ways.

And I believe that will include our realization that we should deal with people in our neighborhoods instead of going afar when it comes to purchases and services. Small businesses have been very impacted by covid and we should make a point of helping them get back on their feet.

            Another result of the pandemic is that people are realizing that there is more to life than material things. I believe that the new post-pandemic normal will be simpler and more geared to the important things in our lives. We realize how much we missed being with family and friends so will cherish them more.   

One thing is clear, first and foremost we have to take care of our world and of those around us because we’re all in this together.

           

 

Test your Brain

Sharing an email I received recently.

 

Count every "F" in the following text:  

 

 FINISHED FILES ARE THE RE
SULT OF YEARS OF SCIENTI
FIC STUDY COMBINED WITH
THE EXPERIENCE OF YEARS...

 

 HOW MANY 'F's did you count?

 

 Count them again.

 

 

 

 

If you got three you’re normal

four is quite rare

 

You win if you counted six.

 

 Taking Care

Hope is in the air these days as the corona virus seems on its way to being conquered with vaccines. But it’s not the only good news at the moment. The sun is getting warmer so we know that spring is not too far behind.

            In my world, spring is not acknowledged until St. Patrick’s Day has come and gone because until then a snow storm could appear without warning. But as soon as the Irish celebrations are over, spring begins to display its gifts to winter-wearied souls. We’ve been patient throughout the cold months so we feel we deserve to welcome a season of renewal. Even if it’s still a few weeks away, we have no qualms about beginning to plan for it.

            At this time of year, as the snow is slowly melting, I always find it interesting to see the things that have been lost along the way over the winter. I sometime see a lone mitt or glove or a scarf as a matter of course, but this year masks are a new element that I come across regularly on my daily walk. Have these masks been lost or simply thrown away, I wonder. I hope they were not simply thrown away on the sidewalk instead of being discarded the way they should have been.

            But then again, many people still see no harm in discarding things anywhere instead of making an effort to keep our world clean. As I pulled into a parking spot at my local mall yesterday I was somewhat puzzled to see that two take-away coffee cups had been left on the yellow line separating two parking spots. Obviously the person who left the cups there could not be bothered to walk a short distance to dispose of them properly in the available bins near all the doors to the mall. Or take them home and discard them there. I suppose that person felt someone else should do what he or she should have done.

            When things are discarded any which way they’re often picked up by the wind and blown away. It’s no wonder that our rivers, lakes and oceans are full of garbage that threatens fish. I feel strongly that if we don’t care about our environment today, our children and grandchildren will have to pay the price.

 

Forces All Around

Do you believe there is a force, a collective consciousness that unites all of us? I certainly do and I find that such a force might even become stronger as we age.

Many of what might be termed unusual occurrences occur often, but I think that we simply dismiss them. For example, we don’t pay much attention to such things as that while thinking of someone, that person calls, or we know before picking up the phone who is calling – without having seen the name display. Some say that the reason is that we are all subconsciously aware of higher level vibrations. After all, we all know that not all communication is actually heard or seen, don’t we?

I think mothers always know –- without being told – that one of their children is in trouble of one kind or another. Just as other people can send us messages they feel are important. A couple of years back, when I woke up one morning I knew I needed to call an old aunt who was living in an assisted living environment. When her phone was answered I learned that she had passed away in her sleep and that attendants had found her a short time before my call. I visited her as often as I could, and perhaps she put out a vibe to let me know right away that she was gone.

            I don’t think such things are just random occurrences. I believe that at our higher self we entwine through our thoughts with those around us especially those we care about. As long as we are open to it, of course.

 

New Words

I find it fascinating how the English language is ever evolving. In the last little while we have become familiar with new words and expressions because of the pandemic such as: social distancing; patient zero, and flatten the curve. Without forgetting the term remotely which is the opposite of in-person or face-to-face as workers and students interacted before covid.

            Also, among the words and expressions trending in 2021 there is: second gentleman (the husband of the female Vice President); binge watching (what a lot of isolating and bored people do--watch episodes upon episodes of the same program); using friend and unfriend as verbs contrary to what we learned in school all those years ago; hangray (being angry because of hunger); chillax (chill out and relax); no biggie (not a serious problem); chirpse (flirt).

            And, did you know what podcast meant until it began to be a popular method for anyone so inclined to offer comments on life, politics, etc?

            What about the cloud? It may sound mysterious but it is simply a service offered by tech companies for storing and accessing data on the internet rather than on a computer hard drive.

            What about neurodiversity? It means people being valued for their individual strengths. About time, I say.

            And a term that will surely become ever more in the news: net zero – a balance between greenhouse gas emissions produced and removed from the atmosphere. Let’s hope it’s something all nations will continue to strive to achieve.

            But, I hope not everyone is looking to polyamory as a way of life. What is it? (See last week’s blog). It’s the practice of non-monogamy with the consent of one’s spouse. A deliberate excuse for each partner to cheat??

 

The New Mores

Life certainly has changed in the last few decades when it comes to the ways of society. In my day, at the time dinosaurs roamed the earth, people who were not married did not have sex. It was a privilege reserved for those who were committed to each other. Essentially, people got married so they could have sex, and married quite young compared to today.

Now, of course it’s a race to see how soon in a relationship a couple will have sex.

            Societal mores began to change when couples dared live together before marriage, and that quickly progressed to couples having children before taking vows. The idea was: We’ll get married but only if it works out with the kids.

I’m quite certain that our ancestors must have been spinning in their graves!

            But as the world continues to evolve, today it is not surprising for couples to decide to be a family with children but never marry. Common law is the term, but I certainly remember my parents talking of people shacking up.

According to a woman I recently saw speaking on the subject of sex on television, the revolution has led to some couples having sex before their first date. Say what? In essence, she said, it means: If the sex is good I’ll treat you to dinner and we can decide if we want to continue the relationship. 

            Our ancestors must be spinning ever so faster!

            But wait. We’ve all heard of open marriages of course, but now there’s a new twist on that lifestyle. Some married people now push the limit of their relationship into non-monogamy territory in a novel way because they feel it is unfair to expect one partner to fulfill all their needs. Or so they say. How do they go about it? Both partners have other relationships which are pre-negotiated with their spouse. It is called polyamory. So, by mutual consent, the partners can then explore and enter into other relationships qualified as “full of care.”

What sets this polyamorous view apart from simple cheating is that there is much negotiating and everything is by mutual consent. The lifestyle includes inviting the additional partners to live with the married couple in what one man involved in polyamory calls a “growth experience.”

I don’t know about you, but it seems to me that this growth experience sounds like the perfect setting for murder! I mean, don’t tell me there won’t be some jealousy springing up in that house!

To say nothing of the murky legal aspects of such arrangements especially if children enter the picture.

 

 

Laughing at age 

While it might not always be easy, laughing is a sure cure for a lot of things, including feeling sorry for ourselves because of the number of years we have lived. So, here are some jokes which I hope will brighten your day.

 

She’s the life of the party if it last until 8 p.m.

I’m very good to opening childproof caps. I use a hammer.

I smile a lot because I can’t hear what you’re saying.

When a little boy asked his grandfather how old he was, the man replied: I’m not sure. The little boy told his grandfather to look in his underwear. “Mine says I’m 4 to 6.”

A grandson asked: Grandma, do you know how you and God are alike? Answer: You’re both old.

Grandparents are funny. When they bend over, you hear gas leak and they blame the dog.

A grandmother spent time with her grandchild teaching her colors. When the little girl was leaving she said: Grandma, you should try to figure out some of these colors yourself.

When a little boy learned that his grandfather was 80, he asked: Did you start at 1?

When does a little old lady say the f*** word? When another little old lady yells BINGO.

Some days the supply of available swear words is insufficient to meet my demands.

And:

When I die, I want my last word to be: I left a million dollars in the ….