During this pandemic, have you considered how much you used to take for granted that is no longer certain?

I think this sentiment is being shared widely.

But are we truly internalizing it? Will this notion last after the pandemic? And what would it look like if it does?

One could take this idea and transform it into fear. Children who learn that they cannot rely on a parent to be there when they need them most often fail to form connections with humans as they age. Sadly, they learn early not to trust, and this can be difficult to overcome later in life. If we believe that nothing is a given, we could decide ourselves not to attach in order not to feel the pain of loss. This could be with people, or investing in the market (why take the risk when I could lose vast amounts of money), or maybe we will horde food.

Or we could come to peace with uncertainty as a tool to living our most vibrant lives.

I will be deeply thankful for the person who cuts my shaggy head of hair when I feel comfortable going to the salon again. I have the opportunity to show my appreciation, and I have the opportunity to continue to feel that same appreciation each and every haircut from here on out.

Maybe it will be a visit to the pool, with gratitude towards the staff and government or business that makes it possible. Or the waiter at the restaurant.

Maybe you will take the trip you have been putting off.

And maybe we will also plan for an uncertain future. Perhaps it is clearer now that even jobs that seemed to be a given in the future, may actually not be. We have experienced losses we never imagined possible. Perhaps we really should set aside 6-12 months salary ‘just in case’.

Will we internalize these feelings towards future change?

Or will we forget the moment we put our masks in our drawers?