Are we back to normal now?

First Published 16 September 2021

What does back to normal even mean?  We are in a world of varying restrictions – different rules in different countries or even states.  

I spent the weekend in England recently (and have had conversations with a couple of others who also headed south for a few days) – what we noticed was that is was odd to be indoors in public where so few people were wearing masks.  One of the people I was talking to mentioned being in a service station and realising she was the only one wearing one!  We both happened to stop at the Gretna services and were amused by the signs pointing out that we were in Scotland so masks were expected!

But moving away from the joys of service stations!  I have spoken to a few people who have been out and about.  From networking meetings where the start of the session was sanitiser, masks and distance, but by the end of the event there was a lack of distance and hugs all round.  I have also heard about people saying that even going out for a few hours to do something that was ‘normal’ for them 18 months was now actually exhausting!

We have heard talk of back to normal, and the new normal, and I am starting to wonder if the word normal has now lost its meaning!  

What I am curious to know is – what has come back in to your day to day life after a long absence? And what have you noticed about it?  Have these returning aspects been welcome/exhausting/a necessary evil/’normal’ for you – and what are you looking forward to coming back?  Also, is there anything you are truly hoping doesn’t return to your day to day life?

I for one would have been happy to have not caught the common cold (or man flu as I refer to it – cue the sympathy please 😉).