How has COVID changed our lives?

By Letter to the Editor on May 16, 2020.

It’s not over, this COVID-19 crisis. We must continue to be observant and cautious about health and life. There are other questions we need to get on with.

Can we go back to the way things were? What are the most important things to do now? I hear people talk about getting the economy growing again. Are our values the same as before COVID-19? Do we think about life, work and fear of sickness and death the same? How has life changed for me? Do jobs and money take importance, or are friends and family more important? All these questions and more may be different.

Do we give ourselves the time to question the importance of the way we live – what we consider important in life? It may be tempting to rush back to work as soon as possible, and maybe even forget some things we learned about ourselves during the crisis. I know it isn’t over yet. But has the way we used to think about jobs, money and the economy changed? Do we see life differently now?

In 2020 we have seen governments suddenly find billions of dollars that weren’t available before. If they can come up with billions for corporate welfare, can we not come up with billions for doctors, nurses, teachers and health care? Does that tell us there is a new way to think about money in our society? Maybe we have different things we want to do with the rest of our lives. If governments can change priorities, what would I do differently now – or, will I just go back to my old job before COVID-19?

Don Ryane

Lethbridge