COMMENT | Each surge of the coronavirus stirs in me these circular thoughts: Will life be any different months from now? Have I done anything of consequence, however minor, during the prolonged lockdowns?

I’ve spoken with friends and read many stories of how people are living through months of physical isolation and social distancing.

Some relationships are strained being holed up at home with stifling personal space, incompatible needs and mixed expectations. Some are rejuvenated by newfound interests, emotional and intellectual intimacy.

Different communities are coping differently.

The young and old, married and single, employed and retirees, nuclear and extended families – all have their own stories of loss and loneliness, frustration and resentment, tenacity and resilience, revelation and redemption.

From the optimists (this pandemic will soon come to pass) to the doomsayers (societal collapse is imminent) and cynics (after each crisis we will return to the way we were - self-serving, deceitful, manipulative), the hope for a more...