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I remember reading an article about the Great Depression and how it affected the children who lived through it. The article said that people who were mature adults before the Depression were largely able to return to "normal" after it ended, but that the children had no semblance or idea of "normal" to return to. The fear of being without stayed with them for the rest of their lives. I don't know if this were true with my parents as they were dirt poor before the Depression: that was the norm for them.

While this period of history will, hopefully, be much shorter than the Great Depression, I wonder how it will affect impressionable children. While it was amusing that my six year old grandson Henry did not want to hug me yesterday so as not to "catch" poison ivy, I am not sure that he would have reacted that way last year. He and I went to the park down the road a week or so ago and the swing-set was covered with orange webbing. Henry remarked about it and I asked him if he knew why it was covered and without missing a beat, he said, "Because of the corona virus."

What will he remember in ten years from now? And what will adults remember in ten years from now? Have we learned a lesson about being prepared? Will we live in fear of another pandemic? How will that affect our children?

Given the divisiveness in the country centering on Trump's cult who follow him blindly and recklessly and the rest of us who look at him and his cohorts in horror, I am not sure that we can ever recover or trust one another or a politician again.

Gwendolyn2018 9 Apr 7
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Interesting. Yes, you are a very good story teller.

Both of my parents were depression babies. It seemed to have a stronger mark on my mom over my dad. She at least mentioned it more often. Both were fairly frugal, which was a direct result of living through the depression.

It effects children more because it is a larger portion of their lives.

The virus is not finished with us yet. With a leader like we have, the affects can be greater than the depression (longer lasting).

@Gwendolyn2018 I agree, story tellers are born, but still need some prep to perfect their craft. I loved reading your profile. I can tell you are a natural.

And yes, the earth won't be completely uninhabitable by the time I reach 100, but it'll be getting close.

@Gwendolyn2018 You're not that much older!

@Gwendolyn2018 Yes, exactly, so hang on for the ride.

@Gwendolyn2018 My mom lived to be 89, one grandmother 96, and one great-grandfather 92. So I have long lives in my family as well.

@Gwendolyn2018 I might, but I'm not counting on it.

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There will be lasting affects, how bad may depend on how long the major changes stay in place. .The longer we are in isolation, the slower the return to normal will be. And if we lose the election and are condemned to four more years of this daily political drama, we may never return to anything close to the previous normal, let alone a better one.

I agree with everything you said. I think the actions of the parents and their resources will make for different outcomes.

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