To miss the first lockdown?

[TidyOchreReader]

I know it was a tough time for many but I genuinely loved that first lockdown. I think about it all the time. There was something strangely blissful about slowing down, having fewer obligations and just focusing on connecting with people - even though we couldn’t physically see them. And when you did see someone, the gratitude was immense. AIBU to feel nostalgic for that time?

I am not in the UK and we were locked down for a lot more and a lot longer that the UK.
I lost my job, became agoraphobic and the whole thing totally wrecked my retirement plans.

Thank you honestly, I really appreciate this. I was starting to wonder if I’d completely misjudged the tone just by reflecting on something that, for me, had unexpected positives.

You’ve captured exactly the kind of nuance I was trying to express: it was a horrendous time for so many but that doesn’t mean there weren’t small pockets of connection or perspective shifts that some of us still carry. I think we’ve lost a bit of grace for differing experiences and it shows in how easily people jump to attack. Thank you again for your empathy, it genuinely helped.

The sudden change to accessibility was mind blowing. After years of fitting part-time study and freelance work around my three children’s school hours and activities, I was suddenly able to access so many interesting and stimulating resources! A series of seminars on translation organised by the New York Public Library and delivered via Zoom was a highlight.

I naively thought we were seeing the beginnings of a better, more accessible future. The scramble to return to in-person as the default, and the refusal to acknowledge the benefits of widening access, really shocked me.

Horrible thread. I was lucky enough to be working in a supermarket and not stuck at home but it was still an awful time. I didn’t agree with the lockdowns and I still don’t, it was a hard time for anyone with a mind of their own.

From the personal point of view, no, you're not being unreasonable. I worked as a teaching assistant on rotation due to the reduced number of children at school, so I got to spend lots of time with my ASD child, and he thrived. The weather was amazing, and I appreciated seeing loved ones more, so I resonate with what you're saying.

Obviously from the other side of the coin, it was awful for the small businesses, medical vulnerable and our medical/care workers so I acknowledge it was not the same for everyone, but that's not what your post is about. So YNBU.

I'd hate it now as I have a toddler and would be cooped up the entire time.
But at the time I didn't mind lockdown. It meant I didn't have to go to work 😂 and I actually time to do things at home like bake and read books. And i saved so much money not going on days out, holidays, restaurants.
I'd like to have another lockdown for maybe a week or two.

Deeper conversations? What was it about lockdown that enabled you to have profound conversations? You don’t need most of the country to be severely restricted in their daily lives in order to have a particular type of conversation surely? And with who?

I always find it really weird and insensitive when people say they miss the lockdowns.

Like, I get that for some people it was a long Summer spent in the garden.

But hundreds of thousands of people died. People weren’t allowed to go to their loved ones funeral. People lost jobs and businesses. Children missed out on so much, socialising, their exams, their prom, their year 6 celebrations. Children died from neglect and cruelty who may have been saved had they not fallen out of the system during Covid.

People went mental, spying on their neighbours, reporting people for going out more than once.

Park benches were taped off ffs.

I honestly do think people who say they miss it have got a screw loose.

I have a friend who said something similar to this, she is an introvert but needs to interact with people regularly. I would never cope with her social life, I'm a more natural loner.

For me, lockdown was the first time in my life that having social anxiety didn't make me feel like a freak. I think it normalised those of us who struggle socially, because it became more acceptable for us to isolate ourselves.

I completely feel for NHS workers, patients and everyone who has been negatively affected but on personal level I loved it and miss it too. Now I have a son and think about how beautiful would be to have that much time together as a family.

My mother had cancer and I couldn't even hold her hand so no, I do not feel nostalgic.

But the OP is nostalgic for lock down, no-one is nostalgic for war. A year out of lock down and the child death cases started to hit the news. SS, the police etc were restricted and children were tortured to death because of it. There are children who will never recover from the break down of services. We'd think it distasteful if a mother in Romania, was nostalgic about being able to leave her children, in cots in one of the orphanages, because it made her life easier.
The relaxed pace is achievable without others suffering. On all the Christmas threads, posters are appalled at the thought of not buying gifts for every family member and their dog. Or fitting in visiting every fucker.

How could you not see how this would land, OP? Like, you had a lovely time. But millions didn’t. Did you not think that they might disagree vociferously with your post? I think you’re being dim at best and fucking self-absorbed and selfish at worst.

Best summer ever! I came back to work when my son was 7 months old, February 2020. Me and husband, both furloughed, had the best time with our little boy!

It was actually good for me and my family. It allowed me to show that my son could manage school work and learning, just not so good at school. I found the whole experience gave us something of the freedom people must have had before the Industrial Revolution. Definitely a bit nostalgic.

@TidyOchreReader your not being unreasonable. Even if you tried to live a quieter life now its not the same as the whole world has gone back to it's crazy busy self again. Lockdown was the world slowing right down around you as well.

I get what you mean. I do sort of but I think I’m just forgetting how tough it was and remembering only the good bits.

I meant things felt a bit less rushed at the time - for me and a few close friends, that space meant we ended up talking more honestly about how we were coping, what we valued and what we wanted from life going forward.

Of course you don’t need a lockdown to have those conversations but the sudden pause made them happen more naturally. I wasn’t saying it should take something that drastic, just that it did, in my case.

It was shit.

But, if you liked it, it's easy to recreate. Just don't go outside.

For some there was no lockdown and wasn't that when Sara Everard was murdered by that lunatic policeman? If so there was nothing blissful just for that reason

The world slowed down but it came at a cost. The roads were quiet because no one was seeing friends and family... and that affected people greatly. Also because a lot of jobs were declared non-essential so people could no longer commute. Care homes shut to visitors so no one on the road making the journey to see their relatives.
It all came at a cost.

I do understand the rose tinted glasses. There were moments. Days off going for walks with the DC (we are countryside) and bird watching. Lots and lots of board games all together because not much else to do. Life is much more hectic now!

But DH was working long hours and also trying to supervise the DC doing school work. I would come home to find a really upset child who hasn't wanted to disturb their dad but had got stuck with something. DH was great, he tried so hard and would sometimes make point of saying he would be having a long lunch to do stuff with the DC. He tried to normalise it so his team knew it was ok to prioritise their own DC but the fact was he was working really hard and couldn't be everything to everyone.

I was working clinically. I was lucky in some ways I was community based rather than wards but all the PPE. And the lack of ppe. Going in to houses where someone was COVID positive then going home to my family and stripping at the door. It was hard. And hot days I would arrive to find the whole estate having a big BBQ with paddling pools out when we were supposed to be on full lockdown and wonder what the fuck I was doing.

I did expect disagreement, yes I even acknowledged in my post that it was a tough time for many. I wasn’t saying lockdown was a “lovely time” or ignoring what others went through. I was reflecting on how, in the midst of a difficult global situation, there were moments that personally shifted my perspective. That’s not the same as being selfish, it’s just being honest about a complex experience.

Genuine question here and honestly not trying to be snarky. But for those who are pointing out the positives, saying how just because it was awful for some, shouldn't mean you can't say how good you found it. Would you do the same about any other outcome from a disaster which caused the death of thousands?

Good for you 🙄