Brave New World

Grief 28/03/2020

As we approach the end of March, articles are appearing on multiple media forums- CNN, BBC, newspapers- with headlines about how the world has changed in 30 days. The crisis has brought out in most of us a steely determination to keep calm and carry on, rationalising the new norm by focusing on key tasks- something made easy with home schooling for small children and, for me, a busy time working from home. In some respects we are getting used to the new norm- my mum’s ability to share memes and videos on WhatsApp in the space of a week has been extraordinary.

There are moments, however, which make me wobble. There obvious ones include hearing innocent uplifting songs that previously seemed a bit frivolous- Two Little Birds by Bob Marley, The Bright Side of Life by Monty Python- and shedding a tear. The other is of seeing traces of the old world still on the supermarket shelves- special offers enticing customers to buy more when than we should or are even allowed. I saw a 3 for £7 offer on olive snacks. Will such frivolous comestibles be available in a few months time? I bought some beers- an offer of 2 for £4 for Peroni beers so I bought 4. The checkout assistant told me I was only allowed a maximum of three of one item. It is these moments that jar, and serve as a reminder of how much of what we took for granted is now completely gone. How long for? Will those times ever return?