(Back to) The Way We Were

 It’s hard to believe that it’s now been five years ago that many of us went into our places of work, packed up, and went home for what most thought would be a week, maybe two — and wound up being a lot more than that.

I was reminded of just how long it had been at a meeting last week — a group that first gathered a little more than five years ago. Honestly, until it came up in discussions, I hadn’t realized how long it had been — and how much has changed since.

In March 2020, my wife and I had just returned from a funeral in the Boston area. While the worst of what we would come to learn about COVID was — well, yet to be learned — we knew that cautions were in order. So we drove, rather than flew to the event — which wound up being full of strangers (many of whom were in what would come to be acknowledged as “vulnerable” health categories).

In hindsight, what might have been a “super spreader” event didn’t turn out to be one —even though less than 48 hours later the governor of the Commonwealth was putting in place lockdowns and restrictions that would have precluded our trip. We’ve not regretted that trip for a moment over the past five years, though on more than one occasion since I’ve thought to myself just how remarkable that was. It could have been life-changing.   

Back to ‘Normal’

Of course, by some, perhaps most, measures — we’re now back to “normal.” Oh, I know there are still debates about returning to the office, and there are doubtless more Zoom/Team calls today than pre-COVID (though almost certainly less than there were in the middle of it). That said, one rarely sees a mask in public these days, even in the most crowded airports. Indeed, what some might call resilience, others term complacency — and there’s little doubt in my mind that, for ill or better, should another pandemic emerge, we’ll likely respond differently than we did for COVID.   

That said, while COVID, or the response to COVID, has affected us all in some ways — and continues to do so — the impact was … uneven. Some industries — ours included — pretty much packed up one night, went home — and continued to do what we do every day (with modest adjustments). Some — notably schools — tried to pivot to remote learning overnight with what were deemed necessary, but arguably unsatisfying results. At some point, we should have learned (admitted?) that viruses don’t respect bar curfews, and that religious gatherings are no more (or less?) hazardous than gathering in bars or restaurants (except perhaps, to the economy). 

And then there were some — and here one can’t help but acknowledge the bravery, commitment and sacrifice of healthcare and long-term care workers — who not only “couldn’t,” but were required to put their very lives at risk in the service of others. Indeed, I’ve walked away from this experience convinced that (1) most of the jobs that can’t be done from home are probably worth more than they’re paid; (2) many likely live further from work than we’d prefer; and (3) many of us live further from the ones we love than we realize.

All that said, five years ago who could have imagined how much our lives — and our very way of existence could change … overnight. While there were many dark and uncertain days in between then and now, I’m in awe of the resilience with which we’ve recovered, the degree to which we have returned — more or less — to “normal.” That said, I hope we never lose our collective memory of what it was like to open our mail outdoors, to feel the ache of not being able to gather with loved ones, or worse — to be precluded from being with them at life’s end.       

With all the sadness and uncertainty that came with COVID, I’m thankful for its renewed appreciation for life, family, and friends — for the time it gave to think about what’s really important in life. For the reminder it provided of the impact and importance our physical health brings to our focus on financial preparations, and yet the critical role that our financial preparations provide in and for our lives. 

Here’s hoping, in other words, that while in many ways we are back to “the way we were” — that that “way” includes a renewed appreciation for what we have — and what we might yet lose.

• Nevin E. Adams, JD