“New Normal” or Temporary Chaos”

We have all heard over the past week or so that we are now in our new normal, and in many situations, this seems to be able to bring a sense of calm to those listening. But, what exactly does this mean, and is this really ‘our new normal?

Witnessing our nation come together as we attempt to slow down the spread of the virus so that we can get ahead of it, has been incredible. There is no short supply of positive stories of adaptation and clever ways that people are able to carry on with what needs to be done. From schools going online and fully digital to almost all industries offering a slightly different, or even a completely different way to continue to offer services. An important question though is how sustainable is all this change? And if this is not sustainable, is this really our new normal?

Will life continue as is it at the moment? Very likely not. Will life ever be the same as it was before the outbreak? Certainly not, as it is highly likely that Covid-19 is here to stay (much like the other Corona viruses; SARS and MERS). So what will life look like after we have been able to get ahead of this virus? Although we will be living in a ‘new’ world, with new worries, new ‘wounds’ and adjustments as a result of Covid-19, human beings are creatures of habit and so we will probably see us striving to achieve a sense of normalcy for how things were before this all happened. This will probably see the bulk of our daily activities picking up again and our daily routines reverting back to those of ‘before’, only this time we will do all of this from beneath the cloud of Covid-19, that will cast a vast shadow for some time to come.

As we continue to navigate our way through this temporary chaos and we constantly seek the sunlight during these dark times, let us take the time to reflect on how positively we have responded to the daily challenges and complete upheaval that we have had to deal with. Human beings are courageous and ingenious creatures of survival, growth and development. Sometimes, difficult times serve as opportunities to help remind us of who we are.