My father would have been 100 last March 25. Last March felt like a bit of a milestone as well because it was 5 years post the first Covid lock down. My father died on Christmas Day 2020 and those last nine months were made even grimmer by Covid. I think the very old and young people in education got the worst of Covid but it was no picnic for those in the middle either. It was pretty dreadful and I find few things more annoying than people who say, “Actually, I had a good Covid.” If it’s you, please stop it, but as Covid memories mercifully recede, it is something I am hearing more frequently and I don’t like it. Look, maybe you did have a good Covid (unlikely in my view, but I’ll allow it) but you must know lots of people didn’t and sharing this experience of yours is unlikely to make them feel better about that time. Anyway, here’s a thing about my father, he cycled all his life until he was well into his 80s – when cycling was unpopular and no grown ups cycled, he cycled, and now, partly inspired by his singular devotion to the convenience of the bicycle, I cycle every day too and I often think of him as I freewheel along.
My sister sent me flowers on our mother’s anniversary – what a nice thing. I think of my mother most days and what I really miss is her advice. Teenage me would be surprised. Also, she thought I was brilliant and was always on my side. And she was hilarious and practical and clever and I miss her very much.
Look, it’s almost the season (though I can 100% guarantee that picture was taken on Christmas Eve which was when our tree went up every year despite my pleas for an earlier date; as you can observe my pleas for a real tree were also in vain). And, speaking of practical, my mother made that dress I’m wearing though I am afraid I never liked it. Oh well.
My own father would have been 90 last March 25th.
Hah good day for a birthday, spring finally getting going usually.
That’s a brilliant photo.
And yes, Covid was dreadful for the young people – our then young graduate struggled to get a job, he’d follow through the whole interview process, and then the recruitment would be cancelled because of a new working from home directive. This happened four or five times.
(Leaving aside the happy, newly vaccinated retired skipping off on holiday when my young adults were stuck at home, ‘protecting’ the old, and too young to be vaccinated. Not good for intergenerational solidarity)
Oh, your poor young graduate – how grim. Yes, it possibly wasn’t a great time for inter-generational relations, along with everything else.
What’s interesting is it still goes on..he gets asked about this gap in his CV, and says ‘Well, Covid’ and the folks say..’oh, yes..now you come to mention it..’
Huh. That’s surprising.
I know. He, and we, are surprised – I mean, how can you forget this?
I suppose for most people, we adjusted, worked from home, our younger son essentially did his degree online but he still was studying.
No1 son fell outside all of that – there wasn’t a solution or a path. And now, everyone has forgotten what they was like.
Fortunately the reminder is enough – folk then remember but they do need to be reminded.
That was tough but at least people remember. And soon he will have enough experience that it won’t matter any more.
Exactly. He’s been interviewing for a new post this summer and it’s dying back now. His current experience is enough.
But resilience has been important for him. He’s done well on that one!
Resilience is their reward, I guess.