Global 2020 lockdown triggered a wide range of emotions to bubble up to the surface. Many of which, as you know, have given way to fear and worry, whereas others have inspired lessons and messages of hope, rebirth, resilience, and strength.
In particular, the enforced isolation, separation, and pervasive silence reminded us how vital human connection is – and inspired us to channel these very lessons into the project “On Our Way to Light”.
The purpose of this project was to create a digital compilation of various insights, feelings, views and perspectives from people around the world on their personal experiences during the global pandemic in the beginning of 2020.
Recording those raw impressions while they were still forming felt essential. Memories fade, clarity blurs. By archiving our voices in real time, we preserve an honest snapshot of what humanity sounded like in April 2020, when streets fell silent and hearts grew loud.
No matter who or where we think we are, we all share the experience of being a human. And there is such profound beauty in that fact – no matter how different we are, we all share the same experience, but we perceive it in our own, unique ways.
Being on the other side of what seemed to be one of the toughest crises for all of us (the pandemic) , it’s interesting to remember and feel where our thoughts were during the most challenging time for some of us – the first lockdown in the beginning of 2020.
- Do you remember where were you then?
- Do you remember how you felt?
- Do you remember what you missed the most from the time prior to the lockdown?
- Did your gratitude focus change before, during or after the pandemic?
- Did you live your life more intentionally after the lockdown?
In case you didn’t take time to explore any of these questions, here is a small digital reminder that will help you appreciate the magnificence of being fully aware of the Present Moment.
Project Overview: On Our Way to Light
Purpose: On Our Way to Light set out to gather candid reflections from ordinary people across the globe during the earliest weeks of the pandemic.
Premise: Though our passports and languages differ, we share a single truth: to be human is to Feel Deeply. That single truth seeded this living archive. What follows is an expanded reflection on the questions we asked, the themes we uncovered, and the wisdom we can still harvest today. This digital anthology honors that common ground while celebrating the diverse colors of our individual experience.
Method: Using a portrait photograph of each participant (in a pose they felt most comfortable sharing with the world) as the visual backdrop, we invited them to record an audio message answering six open‑ended questions (see below). Those voice notes – layered over the still images – were then edited into a single compilation video. The resulting video montage became the beating heart of this article.
The Six Soul‑Searching Questions
In April 2020 we interviewed several people from 5 countries.
We asked them the following 6 questions:
- What feels the hardest or the most challenging now (due to the isolation)?
- What is one thing that you are grateful for now, that you weren’t aware of before these events occurred?
- What would be the first thing you would do today if everything would be “back to normal”?
- What is your biggest Lesson in this experience, what have you learned about yourself so far?
- What are you afraid of the most now?
- If you would hear some of the closest people to you telling you that exact same fear, what would you tell them to comfort them?
The Hardest Challenges of Isolation
Takeaway: The hardest parts were not merely logistical; they struck at primal needs – belonging, safety, purpose.
Disconnection & Touch Deprivation
“I had no idea how much a casual hug from a friend balanced my nervous system until it vanished.”
Humans are wired for co‑regulation; without tactile reassurance, many reported escalating anxiety, poor sleep, and even phantom sensations of embrace.
Loss of Structure
Routines collapsed. Commutes that once bracketed the day disappeared, leaving time amorphous. Blurred boundaries between work, rest, and caregiving heightened stress and muddied identity: Am I a professional? A parent? A homeschool teacher? All at once?
Financial Instability
Entrepreneurs, freelancers, and hourly workers described inboxes filled with cancellations. The virus threatened livelihoods as palpably as lungs.
Parental Overload
Parents likened their days to spinning plates on uneven poles – remote work, Zoom school, meal prep, emotional containment – never able to rest for fear everything would crash.
Existential Uncertainty
Even the air felt suspect. Would we ever feel safe breathing shoulder‑to‑shoulder on a subway again? Uncertainty settled into bones like winter cold – always present, whispering.
Gratitude Re‑Imagined
Ironically, hardship sharpened our senses to delights once overlooked:
- Fresh air – Without traffic, many heard birds they hadn’t noticed in years.
- Time with immediate family – Dinners became longer, conversations deeper.
- Neighborly gestures – Strangers left notes, groceries, or songs on balconies.
- Slower mornings – With no commute, dawn became something to savor, not battle.
Neuroscientists confirm what participants felt intuitively: micro‑gratitude cultivates dopamine and serotonin, fortifying mental health. The pandemic turned everyday miracles – breath, hot coffee, a beam of sun – into ballast against despair.
First Acts of Freedom
When asked what they would do first after restrictions lifted, participants dreamed small but potent:
- Embrace grandparents.
- Sit in a crowded café, aromas mingling.
- Book a haircut, not for vanity but for conversation.
- Kick a football with neighborhood kids, or cousins.
These wishes expose what mattered all along – connection, community, sensory richness – not status or speed.
Inner Lessons Unearthed
Self‑Pacing > Social Pacing
“I create my own pace”. Without external schedules, many discovered a natural rhythm of rest and work. Many discovered natural circadian rhythms once 24/7 productivity demands dissolved. Some reclaimed midday naps, others found creative bursts before sunrise.
Vulnerability Breeds Community
Vulnerability is strength. Admitting “I’m scared” on group calls formed deeper bonds than years of polite small talk ever had. Admitting fear invited support instead of shame.
Less Can Be More
Fewer commitments revealed which activities nourished and which merely filled silence. Stripped calendars revealed which commitments were life‑giving and which were mostly habitual.
Interdependence Isn’t Weakness
From supply chains to emotional support, we thrive through reciprocity, survival proved communal. Independence, it turns out, is a myth marketed by convenience.
Fears That Followed Us Home
Each fear mirrors a core need: stability, health, belonging, growth. Recognizing these root needs allows compassionate responses.
- Economic aftershocks – Will opportunities return?
- Recurring waves of the virus – Will lockdowns become seasonal?
- Permanent social distance – Will handshakes fade into folklore?
- Personal stagnation – Will I lose the insights I gained once routine resumes?
Words of Comfort: What We’d Tell a Friend
“If you’re afraid, remember: the unknown also contains possibility. We will shape what comes next Together.”
Participants offered loved ones practical compassion:
- Name the fear – silence amplifies shadows.
- Focus on controllable – breathing, boundaries, kindness.
- Seek reliable information, not endless feeds – information, not overload.
- Anchor in small social rituals – online dinners, handwritten notes, doorstep waves, balcony “concerts”.
How These Insights Serve Us Now
Even if you’re reading this years later, the wisdom stands.
Journal Prompts
- Remember Senses – Which sensory detail carried you through isolation (the clink of dishes, a patch of sky)? How can you honor it weekly?
- Legacy of Pace – Name one boundary created during lockdown (e.g., no devices at dinner). Does it still serve you?
- Fear into Fuel – Identify a lingering worry from 2020. Draft a micro‑action you can take today to address the need beneath it.
Micro‑Practices
- Gratitude Walk – List five sensory joys on a ten‑minute stroll.
- Digital Sunset – Power down screens one hour before sleep.
- Fear‑to‑Action – Translate today’s worry into a single helpful action.
- Community Threads – Schedule a monthly call with someone you reconnected with in 2020.
Community Action
Share your own answers to the six questions on social media with #OnOurWayToLight and tag @theperennialheart, or email your responses directly to us. Collective storytelling keeps the Lessons alive.
Watch the 17‑Minute Global Video Compilation
A visual symphony of hope, fear, laughter, appreciation, and quiet strength – captured in 2020 in living rooms across five nations.
May the echoes of the voices from this video remind us that even in enforced stillness, the human spirit keeps dancing toward the Light.
Please, remember to be grateful and satisfied for everything you are and everything that makes and fills your life right now.
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