The last several months of the pandemic have been interesting to say the least. Most people have had to make some type of adjustment to their day to day life. For some of us it’s meant working from home, virtual schooling the kids, learning a new skill or taking up a new hobby. It’s seen all in-person meetings moved to virtual meetings. It’s meant barely driving our cars and definitely walking the garden and neighbourhood more often.

For many it’s meant seeing people that you never really see before as you walk through your neighbourhood. It’s meant lots of family time, but no hugging or handshakes when you encounter friends. Standing many feet apart to have conversations. Cooking more. No dining in, always carry-out or drive-through. It’s had everyone on edge - someone coughs or sneezes in close proximity and people turn around or move away as they give them a kind of dirty look. Life as we know it has most definitely changed during COVID-19.

Now that we are gradually emerging from lockdown, one tentative step at a time, the big question on everyone’s mind is, “What will life after quarantine be like?”

Even though people don’t like being forced into anything, the massive push on the brakes gave people no choice but to slow down.

For many of us and our friends, the pandemic has been a mixed blessing. For instance, trying to work, school, parent and care for others with no support from other family members or friends has been challenging. Yet, the new available family time has been incredible. It’s given a lot of us an opportunity to do many of the things that we previously looked at and said, “If I had the time, I would…”

The chaos that existed around getting siblings, and children, if you have any to sports practices, after school clubs or any other event was wiped right off the calendar. As a result, it’s had many of us many wonder if we will allow ourselves to go back to the frenetic pace prior to sheltering in place.

So, what things can we keep “intentionally” doing now that quarantine is over for most of us ?

Here are some of we would like to keep in mind…

We will appreciate being in people’s presence more and giving and receiving hugs.

We will be more compassionate and more eager to remind others of the need for grace, mercy and love.

Be more cautious about public spaces and high-touch surfaces. But certainly won’t be putting life on hold or hole up at home forever.

Enjoy the slower pace of life, family time and being able to spend time at home. No more running crazy to attend a million functions, meetings, etc. Spending more time just living.

Be thankful for many, many freedoms Which, we usually took for granted.

We'‘ll be cooking more for sure.

Time will tell how different life after the lock down will be, whether it’s because we choose to be intentional or whether it’s because others make changes that affect our normal way of life.

Here area a few fun things we can’t wait to be doing..

Enjoy a long, aimless walk, without worrying that I am breaking the law.

Pass within two metres of somebody.

Go on a trip to your nearest beach on a hot, sunny day.

Pop to a shop, on an impulse, without even worrying about scheduling in the hour I need to spend in the queue outside first.

Find a wall that isn’t painted magnolia, and stare at that for a change.

Spend too much money on a single, overpriced coffee.

Complete a day’s work and reward ourselves by seeing a friend or going to the movies, perhaps, rather than realising that such options are not available to me and momentarily consider the possibility that we might as well keep working.

Decide to go out to enjoy the sunshine, and feel immediately frustrated by the fact that, inevitably, it was replaced by several months of rain the very day after lockdown ended.

Attempt to go to that restaurant we always liked, AND wonder vaguely why it’s now closed — forever.

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