In our home, the recurring question echoes: “When will life get back to normal?” With three daughters aged 20, 18, and 15, they look to me for some sense of reassurance that the end of quarantine is on the horizon. They yearn to know when they can leave the house, reconnect with friends, and return to their college and high school environments. Unfortunately, I find myself unable to provide the answers they seek. The truth is, I don’t know.
With our family confined together for weeks, emotions are running high and patience is wearing thin. There are moments of joy when I witness my daughters, who are on the cusp of adulthood, sharing laughter and cooking side by side. I often contemplate whether this will be the last time they all live under one roof.
Yet, there are also incredibly tough days. Disappointment hangs heavy as prom dresses and graduation gowns remain unworn in the closet. Summer internships vanish, and we are shaken by the tragic news of a friend’s father succumbing to the coronavirus. Heightened anxiety arises from media coverage showing patients waiting outside hospitals. My daughters are filled with questions and concerns about the health of our loved ones.
Answering their question about when things will return to normal proves to be a complex challenge. The information I read is often contradictory—some sources claim that restrictions will ease and life will stabilize by summer, while others warn of canceled fall classes and rising death tolls. I wish I could provide them with clarity, but the future feels unpredictable. What will normal mean moving forward? Will I hesitate before hugging a friend? Will face masks become a gym staple? How will I determine whether it’s safe for my kids to attend concerts? I don’t want to live in fear, yet I feel the weight of responsibility to keep my family safe.
The only other time I recall feeling this vulnerable was in the aftermath of 9/11. I remember sitting on the floor, eight months pregnant, as the second plane struck the World Trade Center. The years that followed created a distinct “before” and “after” mindset. There was a time when air travel and large gatherings didn’t invoke anxiety, and a time when fear became overwhelming. Eventually, life resumed, but my perspective had irrevocably changed.
What I can promise my daughters is that there will be life after the coronavirus. Gradually, a semblance of normalcy will return, treatments and vaccines will be developed, and they will reclaim their lives. For me, the impact of the pandemic will always separate experiences into “before” and “after” categories. I will remember waiting in line for disinfecting wipes and toilet paper when shelves were bare. I will feel immense gratitude when I can finally visit my parents after months apart. My daughters will cherish the opportunity to return to college and resume high school alongside their classmates.
Like them, I am eager to restore normalcy in our lives, but the reality is that the coronavirus has altered all of our experiences. Perhaps the outcome will be a newfound perspective and appreciation for the things we once took for granted. In the end, perhaps that isn’t such a negative result after all.
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Summary:
As families navigate the uncertainty of life during the pandemic, the question of when normalcy will return looms large. While the future remains unpredictable, there is hope for a gradual return to normal, along with a potential shift in perspective that may reshape our appreciation for daily life.