Pre-covid 'normal' life starting to feel like I dreamed it all

[Magicpaintbrush]

I was just looking through some photos from 2019 of a family get together at my parents house with nieces and nephews, my siblings etc, all so normal compared to now - and I realised that as I was looking at them that life from 'before' (pre-covid) is starting to feel like a dream I had. That's not good?! I work from home anyway and have done for years so am used to being at home a lot, but the smallness of the world now is starting to make 'normal' life feel like something distant and dreamlike and just really odd. It made me feel really sad that I'm now so used to going nowhere and seeing nobody (other than DH and DD) that my old life seems less real now, like I imagined it or something.

Does anybody else feel like that?

I know exactly what you mean. And I wonder, when things do get back to normal, how long it'll take for things to stop feeling 'wrong'.

I haven't hugged my parents since last March (like a lot of us, I'd imagine) and the thought of doing so currently fills me with anxiety, rather than happiness. I think I will be on edge for a long time after this.

I even had the urge to be in a packed sweaty club the other night, even though pre-covid I'd not been to a club since the summer of 2019, as I get far too tired and my feet hurt.

The thing I miss most is hanging out with friends in our houses, with the kids all running around and playing with each others' toys while we have a coffee and a chat. You can switch off a bit knowing other parents are watching as well, your kids get to play with new toys, and it's very low effort. Literally what we'd do if we couldn't be bothered going somewhere.

I obviously want to do things too - god I miss gigs, and restaurants, and even soft play. But mostly I just want to hang out with my friends and relax.

One of the things that has made me sad for the children is how it has changed their school life - other than the obvious home schooling, I mean during those times when they are physically at school but it's a shadow of what it should be. DD is year 7 and has had no normal experience of secondary school at all - no assemblies in the school hall, never set foot in the science classrooms or got within 500 metres of a bunsen burner, never set foot an art classroom, design tech classroom or food tech kitchen - no sports days, charity events, after school clubs - nothing. Just a classroom in a hut that is not a fraction as colourful and interesting as her primary school classroom was. She doesn't know 80% of her own school, nor do the rest of her year group, it's really sad.

Sometimes I think I’m in a coma, and this is all in my head.

But it started when I lost my mum, very suddenly, two years ago.

When I wake up, Mum will still be alive, and people will look puzzled when I mention the pandemic.

@Magicpaintbrush

One of the things that has made me sad for the children is how it has changed their school life - other than the obvious home schooling, I mean during those times when they are physically at school but it's a shadow of what it should be. DD is year 7 and has had no normal experience of secondary school at all - no assemblies in the school hall, never set foot in the science classrooms or got within 500 metres of a bunsen burner, never set foot an art classroom, design tech classroom or food tech kitchen - no sports days, charity events, after school clubs - nothing. Just a classroom in a hut that is not a fraction as colourful and interesting as her primary school classroom was. She doesn't know 80% of her own school, nor do the rest of her year group, it's really sad.

I know exactly what you mean, and it must be incredibly hard.