If you could would you skip the next 18 months of life?

[severeine]

I have hated 2020. I hated lockdown. I hated the sanctimoniousness it brought out. I hated the lack of social contact, the tragic consequences for some and isolation. If on balance a period of time is a net drain on quality of life, and I realise this is hypothetical, if you could, would you just go straight to the end of it and restart living when conditions are better? Before any of the "but how do you know things will be better -second lockdown, economy ruined, new virus" merchants pounce,I realise any talk of a less awful future is hypothetical.

No, don't enjoy this in any way but it's important we learn lessons from it (all kinds of lessons) and life is interesting in its variety, overall. One day this will be past us and it will seem to children born now like 9/11 seems to my children - distant and fictional and unbelievable. I'm weirdly glad to have the experience of living through it.

No. Sorry you and others feel that way. I've really enjoyed 2020, I love the quiet life and the extra time off with my daughters has been great

If schools close again and we have to homeschool, I would want to fast forward the next six months, yes. I am optimistic about next spring though so don’t want to lose 18 months.

Ha! Interesting to see how differently other people feel to me. It really shines a light into how this has affected my mental health I have HATED this, I thrive on social contact and I rely on future planning as a key tool for maintaining my wellbeing. Both of those things have been compromised and everything I now do/plan is either compromised in some form or has no guarantee of even happening. I feel adrift, and every time I read 'the new normal' or that 'this could go on for years/forever/on and off/we just don't know" it fills me with panic. I hate the not-knowing, so being unable to adjust my plans and expectations for life. I'm glad that other people don't feel this way, but definitely a little more alone!

Not at all. I do see that some people have had a horrendous year, ours has been fantastic.

Dh at home, children both online school and one went back in june. DS10 hates being social so has been happy as a calm watching endless TV and doing lego.

We have made huge progress on our house and garden as we have had time and spare commuting money to do so. We have eaten better than ever.

We all love being around our home (rural) with our dog and soon to arrive puppy.

I go back to work as school admin in a secondary next month and I can't wait.

But I have sympathy and empathy for those who are affected by this of course. But skipping life is just a waste ife changes by the day and every second is valuable.

You could say that about any period of time for certain people. So it makes the whole sentiment ridiculous and pathetic. You really are so lucky that your life has been so charmed up until this point.

I would and I’m 54. As well as Covid I absolutely hate my job with a passion but need another 12 months in my pension and I might get made redundant in this time (good thing for me).

In 12 months I could get on with my life and be happy, I feel like I’m stuck in misery right now.

I have loved having my adult sons at home with me & DH. A period of time that (hopefully) will never happen again for such horrible reasons, but it was lovely to spend that amount of time together. Being shielded was hard, but we got there. I have hated seeing how the stress of lockdown have impacted on friends & family, the sheer loneliness it has caused, the effect on MH etc. It has been really tough for everyone, but most of all for people that have been lost.

If you had asked me 6 months ago I'd have said yes. In fact I'd have probably said I'd happily go to sleep and not wake up again.

Weirdly 2020 has been a fantastic year (for me personally, I understand there's a lot of awful shit going on).

I've been battling a really long and horrible fertility road, multiple miscarriages etc... For years. And I'm now finally pregnant with a sticky baby that's been given the all clear by the hospital, and I'm speeding toward my 3rd trimester for the first time ever, something I never thought would happen.

@heartsonacake I'm with you! Absolutely, with bells on.

Life is precious, why on earth would anyone want to fast forward 18 months just because of an inconvenience?

People need to make the best of it instead of wallowing in self pity because they've had to lock down. It is what it is.

I would like to turn back and forward time regardless. There are some thing I would like to fix, some things I would like to repeat, and some, like right now, skip entirely over.

As long as I knew where to set time to of course! :)

I get this. The covid restrictions have had a really bad effect on me. I've also had a several year period in my 20s where, a few highlights aside, I might as well have been in a medically induced coma for all I was getting out of life.

You can't force yourself to be happy about something that's shit. The effort in trying just drains you even more.

No. I’ve a 4 year old and an elderly mum. I’m lucky to work from home part time.
However I sympathise with others that have found it difficult and hope that this virus buggers off soon.

Nah...I’m 36, single and childless (and don’t want to be). I’m miserable but genuinely still hoping I’m not 38 and in this same boat. Every egg is precious! And also my parents are in their mid 70s and time with them is precious.

I’d rather go back 18 months, knowing what I know now.

@heartsonacake

No, of course not. I loved lockdown and I’m enjoying the social distancing when out and about; I like the orderly rules and systems now in place in shops/restaurants and I like that everything’s cleaner.

I don’t understand why everyone’s been whinging to be quite honest It is what it is, even if you don’t like it we have to get in with it and being so down about it is just going to make you even more miserable.

This is such an insensitive comment considering how many people have lost loved ones, had all the challenges of disruption in education, home schooling and the stress associated with catching the virus.

You not understanding what people are whinging about makes you lacking in empathy, not something to boast about.

In July last year, I was going through a rough patch and I distinctly remember complaining to my mum, “I wish I could skip the next 12 months and wake up to a time where life is better...”

12 months on, my courageous, intelligent and beautiful mum has passed away, my job is unstable and our lives have been turned upside down by Covid.

It’s been a valuable lesson to not wish my life away. I would now give anything to go BACK 12 months.

I try now to make the best of the present and be grateful for important things like my health, my children’s health, my kindhearted, supportive husband and my relationships with friends and family.

You never know how different life will be in 12 months time.

I’d you skip the bad bits how can you appreciate the good? Life is tough right now, there is no denying. But living through challenging times is that not what shapes you and when the good times roll back round (which they will) it will make them seem so much better.

6, not 18. This would see me through any winter lockdowns or school closures and get me through my "challenging" work secondment.

I don’t understand why everyone’s been whinging to be quite honest confused It is what it is, even if you don’t like it we have to get in with it and being so down about it is just going to make you even more miserable.

extraordinary.

@ScubaSteven you have no idea of the mental state some people are in right now. They might have depression, anxiety, lost family members, lost their jobs. It's more than just an "inconvenience" for some. Telling people just to "make the best of it" like it's that simple is unbelievably insensitive and completely lacking in understanding.

OP, I have hated lockdown too and it's really destroying my DS but I'm hoping with school going back things will improve. I wouldn't want to skip any parts of life, even the rubbish ones because there are always some good parts in between.

I wouldn’t. I acknowledge I’ve been very privileged. I was already wfh so my work continued as is, albeit a little quieter due to COVID. I’m an introvert so not going out has suited me fine and has in fact improved my mental health. I’ve managed 2 short breaks since restrictions were eased. I’ve managed to get some home improvements done. The main family that matter to me (my adult DC) have been living with me during lockdown so I haven’t hugely missed anyone. I am very lucky but I do really feel for all those who have lost jobs, lost loved ones and overall struggled with all this. But on a personal level I have been fine.

No, I'm too old to miss a year and a half of my life.

No way. My mother was 90 last week and has faced lockdown with wartime spirit - embraced Zoom, YouTube, online deliveries and banking, built a rockery and painted a shed. If she, widowed after 66 years, can do it, while finding lots of it really tough, I want to be around to support her through what are most likely the last few years of her life.

@Waxonwaxoff0 I said inconvenience because that's what I meant. Where in my post did I mention that the mental impact and loss of loved ones were classed as an inconvenience?

Let me explain myself. There are a lot of people who have complained about the inconvenience like it has been a world ending tragedy when it has been nothing but an inconvenience. Once this is over they can go back to their lives as normal. Some people can't and I did not mean those people.

I have my own reasons for not wanting to fast forward 18 months, lockdown has been hard but if this has taught us anything it's to cherish the time we do have. I still maintain that a lot of people need to just get on with things and stop dramatising.

It's a bit like the people who say "life is what you make of it" tend to be people in a position to have lots of choices and don't get that others may have little to work with. Maybe "you can't make a silk purse out of a sows ear" is the response.