The COVID-19 pandemic changed a lot about the world. Three years later, we’re still facing the rippling effects of it in many ways. People lost their jobs, loved ones, and sense of stability. I was fortunate enough to be considered an essential worker, but too many others were not. In an effort to cope, we found new hobbies, gave new life to the insides of our homes, and cherished the time we were forced to spend together. A sense of community washed over the world with one thing in common: the pandemic.
Celebrities came together and sang “Imagine” by John Lennon in some word effort to rally hope for a better day. I can see why this act has been ridiculed since its release, like we were going to feel so inspired by rich people in mansions who had endless support during what was traumatic for everyone else. Others would make online appearances through things like Instagram live and TikTok to bring humor and life to those who were struggling. Antoni, my favorite of the Fab Five on Netflix’s Queer Eye, would film himself creating recipes with ingredients he kept in his home to inspire viewers to spice it up with what they had. Bo Burnham filmed his Netflix special Inside during this time, too. And wow, what a journey that was.
I don’t know about you guys, but I absolutely had a love/hate relationship with the pandemic. It forced me to find myself and deep down, I forged a better version of who I was. Through anxiety and chaos, the pieces of me began to break. My life was at a low, and I moved back to Oklahoma. I know I was among many who moved back to their hometowns or made drastic changes. Bo Burnham’s special displays the range of chaos that we all felt during that time. He shows a raw, vulnerable side to our lives – cooped up in the same place, limited resources, exhaustion that ran rampant, and an overwhelming sadness. We as a universe of people had so much in common for a relatively short period of time.
Sadly, I don’t think that we truly learned to be as kind and compassionate as we should have. Our world has been overrun by those who wish to make up for lost time. Mistakes are being made – Southwest Airlines is in absolute disarray, healthcare costs skyrocketed, fuel prices feel insultingly high, and incomes are beyond low, too low to sustain an average standard of living with the inflation rates of today. Things are supposed to look up after hitting rock bottom, but I’m afraid that we aren’t quite there yet.