Summary

The article reflects on the personal and societal changes brought about by the pandemic, contemplating future behaviors and priorities.

Abstract

The text presents a series of introspective questions about the post-pandemic world, encouraging readers to consider how their lives may change. It touches on potential shifts in personal habits, from daily routines like exercise and cooking to broader lifestyle choices such as travel and career paths. The article also prompts readers to reflect on their engagement with media, community involvement, and the prioritization of family and personal growth. It suggests a reevaluation of what is truly important, questioning whether pre-pandemic norms like over-scheduling and constant connectivity should be reintroduced into daily life.

Opinions

The author implies that the pandemic has offered a chance to reassess life's priorities, suggesting that some pre-pandemic behaviors may no longer serve us well.
There is an underlying critique of media consumption habits, with a call to discern meaningful content from noise and to resist the fear-mongering tactics often employed in media.
The text expresses a hope that the pandemic's lessons, such as the importance of family time, personal health, and community support, will not be forgotten.
The author seems to advocate for a more balanced life post-pandemic, with an emphasis on personal well-being and meaningful connections over constant productivity and social obligations.
There is a recognition of the pandemic's impact on mental health and the importance of maintaining healthy habits, like exercise and hobbies, developed during this time.
The article suggests that some pandemic-induced changes, like remote work and virtual meetings, may become permanent fixtures in society.
It questions the necessity of returning to previous levels of consumption and activity, proposing a more thoughtful approach to post-pandemic life.
The author reflects on the bravery of healthcare workers and the collective trauma experienced during the pandemic, suggesting that these memories should not be easily dismissed.
There is an acknowledgment of the unexpected joys and discoveries made during the pandemic, such as new hobbies or business ventures, and a hope that these will be carried forward.

The Future

After The Pandemic, Who Will You Be? What will you do?

A random list of questions in no particular order.

When the pandemic ends? Who will you be? What will your life be like? What will you bring with you? What will you leave behind? What will change and what will remain the same?

Will you still paint everyday to relieve the stress or because you have time but never realized it?

Will you be weary of urban centers or will you embrace them? Will you show downtown some post-panny love? Will you venture into new culinary destinations, ride public transportation, and go to that museum you always meant to see?

What will you do with your mask? Will you keep it in a drawer as a momento or will it be nothing more than trash? Will you make more of them for medical professionals, perhaps donate it to a memoriam project?

Will you shoot hoops in your driveway to be alone and out of the house? Will you attends games, either your child’s little league one or those God awful Dallas Cowboys?

Will you go back to a harried life overstuffed with work and social obligations? Will your family revert back to it’s place on your list of moment-to-moment priorities.

Will you make sure your kids get exercise? Will you overload your kids with activities or will you give them more afternoons to do what they please to learn about who they are?

Will competition count more than the moment? Will it matter if, during your daughter’s volleyball game, she fails the spike or will you see it as a privilege to be there? Will you berate her on the ride home or just sit and be present while she processes the loss?

Will you still ride your bike everywhere? Will you appreciate how far you went when the yearn to feel free burned bright inside you. Will you still appreciate the breeze? Likewise, will you revert to the car because time is, once again, a monkey on your back?

Will you be a doomscroller?

Will your media diet change? Will you see all the content that flows your way, whether over the airwaves or printed page, is nothing more than noise? Will you see more stories are meant to provoke fear and influence? Will you see that media, social or otherwise, should just report the facts and let you decide for yourself? Will you keep Tweeting? Will you quit Twitter? Maybe you should?

Will you see that media looks important, as if staying up to date will make us a better at what we do and feel included? Yet, media won’t do that. Will you see the media is there for the media, not you.

Will you still wipe down your snack bags, door knobs, the dog?

Will you still live in your sweatpants? I hope so.

Will you miss being the teacher to your kids? Like you ever stopped.

Will you be a person who gives time to causes because you remember suffering, yours and others.

Will you travel? Will you be one to leave everything behind, take advantage of low fares and just jet-set around the world with nothing but your passport, toothbrush, and a few pairs of underwear?

Will you still blog? Will you still write all those words that describes what you’ve seen, what you’ve heard, what you’ve read, and what you’ve learned?

Will you open a new business? Maybe a garden shop? Something in carpentry perhaps? Maybe data visualization artist? How about a writer on Medium? Yay.

Will you keep up the backyard? Grow tough turf, plant flowers, and keep the lounge chairs nice. Will you still read in your hammock? Will you light a firepit every night?

Will you still use Zoom? Will it remain a mainstay to connect with the outside world for quarentini parties , play Bingo, hold meetings, celebrate virtual holidays, and have sex?

Will you remember the bravery of doctors and nurses? Will you remember their stories, their trauma, their sadness, their tire, and their triumph? Will you be one of them? Will you still need to live elsewhere so you protect your family? Will you come home, undress on the stoop, and shower immediately, not because it’s intentional — but a habit?

Will you remember Kobe? Kobe died in January (2020). That seems a long time ago. Do you remember that terrible moment?

Will you remember the NBA bubble and the stories from within it? Lou William’s run from it to buy chicken wings from Magic City — a strip club. Paul George’s struggle with depression? The Miami Heat demonstrating just how good they are and how great they’ll be.

Will you remember the NFL’s Tuesday Night Football?

Will you remember Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson announcement that they had Covid-19, some of the first celebrities to do so.

Will you realize some innovations where pushed to it’s limits and now are a mainstay in American communities. Just think, snow days are forever a thing of the past.

Will you be a daredevil? Will you skydive just to feel alive again? Will you eat crickets? Worms? Habenero peppers? Anything German?

Will you be kinder or meaner? Will you be a talker or a listener? Will you behave yourself at the Thanksgiving feast? Will you watch the parade every year because it’s one of the greatest shows on earth?

Who will you be? What will you do?

More stories by Anthony C. Fireman

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