When the Pandemic is Over

by Nancy Casey

It was about a year ago at this time that the reality of the coronavirus pandemic began to settle undeniably into our lives.

We have all been affected.

We have experienced changes in relationships and routines. People have lost loved ones and worried for people they care about. Support systems have been disrupted, incomes lost. People have had to give up hobbies and favorite entertainments.

And yet, we have grown. We have had new thoughts and experiences. We have coped and adapted, sometimes gracefully and sometimes not, but always getting new information about ourselves and the world.

By now, the pandemic has been going on for so long that it seems like it will never end. But it will. Someday, this whole pandemic that has engulfed our lives will be over. Finished. Done. History.

Write about what that will be like for you.

Set up a page by drawing a line where the title will go. Set aside some space for doodling or illustration. Try to imagine your future non-pandemic self, living in a non-pandemic world.

Begin by writing, “When the pandemic is over…”  Then follow up with whatever comes to mind as you imagine your non-pandemic future.

Today’s writing is a chance to celebrate in advance the reunions with people and places you have missed. Or maybe notice how the end of the pandemic doesn’t promise a return to the past.

Maybe you have ideas about how you will apply skills you developed this past year. Or perhaps you can think of skills that you haven’t used in all this time. Will you be rusty? Will you apply them in different ways? Will you be getting back to some old habits? Trying out some new ones?

For many people, the end of the pandemic will bring a new phase of recovering from the losses the pandemic has dealt.

All year we have been encouraged to dwell in the reality of this difficult time, to embrace what’s possible instead of longing for something different in a situation we are powerless to change.

Today, let loose and imagine what life will be like when the pandemic lives in the past tense.

Can you see the light at the end of the tunnel? What does it shine on for you?

Fill a page with your thoughts. If you run out of ideas, write, “When the pandemic is over…”  to encourage an idea to pop into your head. Or you can draw and doodle as you wait for a new thought.

When you have filled up the page, read over what you have written. Illustrate your work if you haven’t already. Think up a title that ties everything together.

Write the title at the top of the page. Write the date on the page too, along with a signature or your initials.

Here is an example of what someone could write.

You can share your work by posting it as a comment below. You can type it in, or take a photo of it and upload the image.

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Nancy Casey has lived in Latah County for many years. You can find more of her work here. In-person Write-For-You classes could be returning to the Recovery Center before too long—but not yet! If you would like some help with your writing, or some encouragement, contact Nancy or the Latah Recovery Center.