Begrudging Recluse on Nostr: I keep thinking about how much my parents have changed in the last three years, and I ...
I keep thinking about how much my parents have changed in the last three years, and I wonder if it's because of their #covid infections (multiple now).
My parents were mostly homebodies. Their hobbies were reading and watching tv. They got upset if the phone rang, not wanting to talk to others. Birthdays weren't celebrated, excuses were made for family events. My mother enjoyed shopping and visiting friends, but infrequently. My father enjoyed fishing and spotting birds, but only in areas without people.
Nowadays my parents are doing stuff every weekend, going on trips mostly. They have reconnected with many family members, even the ones they hated. They befriended several neighbors. They started doing volunteer work with strangers. They've got a massive social circle and are almost never free anymore. Of course they do all of these things without masks.
A very strange thing is that they have a gym membership now and they go to the gym multiple times per week. I've never seen my parents do sports or exercise in my life, besides walking. When I ask them about it, they tell me that they really needed to step it up because their condition was getting so bad. And then they complain about how they're still having trouble with their stamina. It just makes me worried that they're over-exercising while sick, but they won't listen.
What weirds me out the most are the small things, like their fears or level of carefulness changing. For example, my father accepted illegal testosterone injections from random men at his gym, multiple times already! I keep explaining to him that it's dangerous, he doesn't know what's in there! And even if he does, it's very unhealthy to do that at his age! Stop it!!! But he just says he can trust them.
An example for my mother is that she is a fearful driver, even after driving for a very long time. She used to refuse driving in other people's cars. She drives manual and was too scared to drive in an automatic. Last month I suddenly heard that my parents went abroad, rented a car, and my mother drove this strange car on the other side of the road!!! All my life she's said she would NEVER drive left abroad. Now when I ask about it, she's like: yeah, so what, it's no big deal.
Of course people can change as they age and experience certain things, but it's become so noticeable and strange to see them do these new things. It doesn't help that I can't speak to them about it, because they dismiss it. And one week later they forget the conversation. And again. And again. They can't remember anything anymore.
I've developed a new rule for myself that I will tell or explain something up to 3 times, and then I give up and just let it go.
#covid19 #CovidIsNotOver #WearAMask
My parents were mostly homebodies. Their hobbies were reading and watching tv. They got upset if the phone rang, not wanting to talk to others. Birthdays weren't celebrated, excuses were made for family events. My mother enjoyed shopping and visiting friends, but infrequently. My father enjoyed fishing and spotting birds, but only in areas without people.
Nowadays my parents are doing stuff every weekend, going on trips mostly. They have reconnected with many family members, even the ones they hated. They befriended several neighbors. They started doing volunteer work with strangers. They've got a massive social circle and are almost never free anymore. Of course they do all of these things without masks.
A very strange thing is that they have a gym membership now and they go to the gym multiple times per week. I've never seen my parents do sports or exercise in my life, besides walking. When I ask them about it, they tell me that they really needed to step it up because their condition was getting so bad. And then they complain about how they're still having trouble with their stamina. It just makes me worried that they're over-exercising while sick, but they won't listen.
What weirds me out the most are the small things, like their fears or level of carefulness changing. For example, my father accepted illegal testosterone injections from random men at his gym, multiple times already! I keep explaining to him that it's dangerous, he doesn't know what's in there! And even if he does, it's very unhealthy to do that at his age! Stop it!!! But he just says he can trust them.
An example for my mother is that she is a fearful driver, even after driving for a very long time. She used to refuse driving in other people's cars. She drives manual and was too scared to drive in an automatic. Last month I suddenly heard that my parents went abroad, rented a car, and my mother drove this strange car on the other side of the road!!! All my life she's said she would NEVER drive left abroad. Now when I ask about it, she's like: yeah, so what, it's no big deal.
Of course people can change as they age and experience certain things, but it's become so noticeable and strange to see them do these new things. It doesn't help that I can't speak to them about it, because they dismiss it. And one week later they forget the conversation. And again. And again. They can't remember anything anymore.
I've developed a new rule for myself that I will tell or explain something up to 3 times, and then I give up and just let it go.
#covid19 #CovidIsNotOver #WearAMask