Strangely, lockdown has many in good spirits
In light of the mental toll exacted by COVID-19 pandemic, one would reasonably expect people to be grumpier than usual.
But, at least from the perspective of this reformed sports writer, these adverse times have often brought out the best side of people.
On Saturday evening, for example, I was strolling along a dirt path leading toward the Saskatchewan Science Centre when a smiling young lady leaned out the passenger-side window of an eastbound vehicle and bellowed: “Have a great night, sir!”
Now, it is hardly uncommon for this seasoned scribbler to deal with drive-by screamers. Previous examples, while numerous, cannot be detailed in this fine journal for reasons of taste.
The expression of good wishes at a high decibel level was rather novel.
Pleasantries have also been noted on the bike path, where human interaction is on the upswing.
No longer is it rare to say hello to a stranger who is travelling in the opposite direction.
The process of passing someone is also cheerier than usual. As walkers make way for cyclists, amicable greetings have become part of the routine.
Has this simply been my experience? With that question in mind, I solicited the thoughts of Regina counsellor Karyn Fleck.
“Our nervous systems are just a little bit more heightened than they normally would be, because there’s a worldwide health crisis and people are in lockdown,” she began. “We’re hearing stories of how severe this can be. Our automatic nervous system is in a heightened state already. How we feel it depends on how many other things we have on top of that.
“A lot of us have less work. A lot of us are working from home. A lot of us don’t have to bring kids to all their activities. A lot of us don’t have to be rushing around, bringing kids here and bringing people there or taking Mom to the doctor’s appointment. For a lot of people, but not everybody, life has calmed down a lot.
“A lot of people have a lot less day-to-day stress and stressors that are going on in their lives, so even though we’re a little bit more heightened and a little bit more wary and we’re a little bit more alert, a lot of us have less on our plate.
“The people you see walking and when you’re riding your bike have less stress that is going on in their lives in general, so they’re probably a little bit more aware of their surroundings. They’re a little bit more mindful of what they’re seeing. They’re enjoying the weather a little bit more. They’re enjoying nature a little bit more. They’re really feeling it a little bit more in their bodies.
“When they encounter another human — and we’re not getting as many humans in our world — you recognize that we have this common humanity and we’re all going through this same thing.”
That is not always easier, the aforementioned amicability aside.
Fleck, who specializes in intimacy and relationship coaching, noted that around 80 per cent of her recent counselling sessions have focused on pandemic-related anxiety, depression and trauma.
“There are some really bad things that happen from this social isolation,” she noted.
“For a lot of people, depression and anxiety are getting worse. Domestic violence is getting heightened. People are not necessarily dealing with relationships as well as they used to.”
She has also noticed that some people are behaving in irascible or entitled fashion while waiting in lineups to enter a store. At the same time, there are also the cheerful souls who are part of those lineups, or the friendly people I encounter while walking or bicycling.
“It does show what we are as humans,” Fleck said. “We are really geared to be social. Whether we’re introverts or extroverts, it doesn’t matter. We are geared to be social to some extent.
“Sometimes we are so focused on going from task to task to task that we don’t even notice what’s going on around us. We don’t notice the smell of the trees. We don’t notice that lovely person walking or riding their bike.
“We don’t have time to slow down and smell the flowers ... and now maybe we do.”