"New Normal"

The term “new normal” is apparently the most popular and novel term being used nowadays brought about by COVID-19 pandemic. The so-called normal which means conforming to a standard; usual, typical, or expected has somewhat changed and it might change for a long period of time if not for a lifetime. The things we have been accustomed to do on a regular basis since the day we were born have seemingly changed. The way we do things from home, work, school and other personal activities we engage ourselves in have now likely changed to a “new normal.”

The preoccupation of people to this pandemic, from ordinary citizens, public servants, professionals, parents, students, millennial, Gen Z and to all people from all walks of life is going through a turbulent phase, a phase that many cannot adapt themselves yet to it. When COVID-19 became prevalent and started overwhelming the whole world, everyone was physically, socially, psychologically and spiritually shaken and challenged. It was like a roaring sound of thunder that reverberates to the ears, which made many people go frantic. As a matter of fact, it was reported that Thomas Schaefer, the finance minister of Germany’s Hesse state, has committed suicide apparently after becoming “deeply worried” over how to cope with the economic fallout from the coronavirus. Also, on March 25, 2020, after returning from Dhaka, a 36-year-old Bangladeshi man (Zahidul Islam, from the village of Ramchandrapur) committed suicide because he and the people in his village thought he was infected with COVID-19 based on his fever and cold symptoms and his weight loss (Somoy News, 2020). Due to the social avoidance and attitudes by others around him, he committed suicide by hanging himself from a tree in the village near his house. Unfortunately, the autopsy showed that the victim did not have COVID-19.

In this light, an article written by Leah Royden entitled, “A new normal: What does it mean to "get over" the loss of a loved one?”,   she explains that almost anything is ‘normal’ following the trauma of losing forever someone we loved in life, and continue to love through the agony of their absence.

For most people, however, their "normal" (albeit incredibly disturbing and upsetting) grief symptoms largely dissipate within 18 months. While the griever has not necessarily ‘moved on’, the most acutely painful sensations have shifted. As researchers Jordan & Litz put it, over time, “The griever is able to come to an acceptance of irrevocably changed circumstances and re-engage in life.”

So if you’re grieving, know that you’ll most likely return to a place of psychological well-being and a "new normal" in time—but the key word here is "new." The truth in the phrase "you never get over it" lies in the fact that you will never again be the ‘old’ you—the person you were when your loved one was alive. 

We are, to a large extent, created in the relationships we have with others. We bring forth different parts of ourselves with each and every person we share our lives with. We are a certain way with them, they are a certain way with us, and we are a certain way together. We mirror each other, we reflect one another back.

In essence, part of us have changed to a “new normal” as reality tells us that we cannot go back anymore to normal because of the physical loss of a loved one which in the process changes part of us.

Furthermore, due to the increasing negative impact of this pandemic to human life, academic and business institutions and religious practices and ceremonies have already changed as it has to consider the welfare of people. The normal way we do things in this regard has been changed to the so-called “new normal.”  Let us try to decipher on the current situation happening at present as we live in this “new normal” era.

When the government started to implement various ways and means to protect the lives of people, a lockdown was instantly imposed. At the beginning, it was not that strict yet as people  could still go out and do their normal activities. However, as the number of COVID-19 patient increases, the government realized that it has to implement strictly the lockdown and in a bigger scope. From community quarantine to enhanced community quarantine and general community quarantine, experts and government leaders are giving labels as to how quarantine will be implemented to a certain district or region. Under these different quarantine strategy and mechanism, there are scopes and limitations people can operate and do in a specific area and time. In effect, people are somewhat complaining, squabbling, articulating, criticizing and reacting to this “new normal” that is inevitable which we all have to adapt ourselves to.

People are praying and guessing when this pandemic will be over.  For now, we can only rely and depend on experts to tell us when this will be all over. Since this is still a big enigma for many, the Department of Health has just reminded us again of another “new normal” that we have to continue doing consistently on a daily basis which serves as preventive measures as follow: frequently washing of hands with soap and water, wearing of face mask every time you go out of your house and physical or social distancing (1 meter apart). All of us are still adapting and adjusting to this “new normal” and at the same time waiting for other precautionary measures and safety practices that we have to do while we are living and coping with this pandemic crisis.

The “new normal” is obviously here to help and support us as we continue to live our lives with hope and positivity that one day this pandemic crisis will be totally over. As we gradually submit ourselves to the “new normal” way of living, let us always be reminded that this is all for our safety and security. No matter how other people can’t understand and the worst accept this “new normal”, one thing is definitely for sure, we may or may not go back to our real and normal way we live our lives,  hence, we should always be ready and open for a “new normal” to come into our lives.