I Visited My Sister During the Pandemic

Summary

The author shares their experience of visiting their sister during the COVID-19 pandemic, feeling conflicted about the decision due to the tension between adhering to safety rules and the emotional need to support family.

Abstract

The article recounts the author's visit to their sister after she gave birth during the coronavirus crisis. Despite the lifting of some restrictions, the author grappled with mixed feelings of guilt and the joy of reunion. The narrative touches on the psychological impact of the pandemic, the challenge of balancing safety regulations with personal desires, and the importance of family connection during trying times.

Opinions

The author initially felt strange and even like a failure for considering a visit during the pandemic, indicating a strong internalization of the rules.
There was a sense of relief and happiness after seeing their sister and her newborn, emphasizing the emotional significance of family support.
The author experienced cognitive dissonance, feeling both good about the visit and guilty for possibly breaking rules, reflecting the moral complexity of pandemic life.
The article suggests that adhering to pandemic rules was a form of personal integrity for the author, yet the emotional toll of isolation was becoming increasingly challenging.
The author implies that government guidelines, which at one point encouraged visits, contributed to their decision, showing trust in official advice amidst uncertainty.
The piece concludes with a reminder to check the latest facts and a teaser for more stories, indicating the author's intent to keep readers informed and engaged with ongoing pandemic developments.

Visiting my sister when it was allowed during the pandemic.

Two weeks ago, I visited my sister, together with my family.

My sister just delivered her baby girl during the Corona crisis. She delivered her baby in the hospital. There were still a lot of rules going on at that time because of the crisis.

The weather was nice as we sat in her garden. She had a playground in the corner and a children’s playhouse as well. Keeping the distance was not really difficult for me as I have been doing it since outbreak started.

Feeling strange

It felt strange though: visiting a family member during a crisis. It also felt like I was a failure during a crisis for not keeping up with the rules when you really needed to.

I wanted to keep up the rules, but at the same time, I wanted to go to her, badly, since she told me her girl was born. But this felt strange too, to go. The situation just felt strange.

You want to stay home as you are told, at least, that is me and keeping up with the rules. I felt that I had to stay home for the entire time of crisis. But that week, the Prime Minister also told us to visit others at home, even when it was more than three people at the same time (that was still one day before).

So, I thought, now it is possible, I will take a shot. And still, it felt strange. It felt like cheating.

But o boy, I was so glad seeing her and her baby girl in such good health, as well as her partner and son. It was so lovely seeing someone else than the grocery store cashiers, neighbors, or people passing by my house and for the rest… The four walls of my house.

You could become crazy. I didn't, luckily.

After that visit, I felt good too, and still, I felt I had cheated too. But coming outside and have my daily walk, isn't that cheating too? Maybe a little bit less, as you walk and pass by other people and not staying in one room.

Always check the (latest) facts with your country.

The numbers and stories are from yesterday or earlier. I haven’t seen new numbers so far, when there will be new numbers, rules and interesting situations here in The Netherlands, I will inform you.

Agnes Laurens is a writer. She writes for the local newspaper. Agnes lives in Bunnik, The Netherlands, with her husband and three daughters.

Writing is — aside from playing the violin — one of her passions since childhood. She is on Twitter and Instagram.

Coronavirus/CoVid-19/Pandemic/Health

I Visited My Sister During the Pandemic — I Felt I Had Cheated

Visiting my sister when it was allowed during the pandemic.

Feeling strange