“No road is long with good company” – Turkish Proverb
I’m sitting here looking out of the window while writing this and everything seems so very normal. The birds are chirping, a sea of yellow daffodils are waving in the wind and the sun is still shining at 8pm. Spring is certainly here, but not like we’ve ever experienced before.
Our lives have changed dramatically since the Coronavirus outbreak. After the first news story broke of a new virus spreading through China, I would never have imagined how it would have had such an impact on how we live and go about our day-to-day lives here in the UK.
With government rules and updates happening on a daily basis, we are now in our fourth week of being on lockdown. Only essential shops can stay open for people to buy food and medicines. Schools, nurseries, colleges and universities have all closed. Recreational venues such as parks and gyms can’t be used. Restaurants, pubs, bars, clubs, etc, have all been shut down. The advice is to stay at home, not meet up with friends and family members, and not to travel unless it is absolutely necessary. We can only go out once a day for one hour with our household to exercise.
As this virus sweeps through our world, we are left to feel panic and unease of what lies ahead of us, scared of the unknown. We are also left questioning lots of things: How long is this going to last? Should I be standing further away from you? What happens if me or a family member gets this virus? When will things go back to normal? Will they ever go back to normal? The list goes on.
It is sometimes easy to get tied up with the negatives of it all and therefore, as with most things in my life, I try and think of the positives that come out of a negative situation. It’s been hard to do as change is difficult. I’ve never been in a situation like this before – no one has -but I hope by reading this you find comfort in what I have written and realise that we can make this journey a little less painful.
Togetherness
We are always busy in our household, whether it’s down to work, school, the children’s clubs or seeing family and friends, we always seem to be on the go. We have never been able to spend this much time together as a family. Believe me, there are some days that are hard and challenging, but I know when things are back to normal, I will look back and be grateful for this time together.
Sense of Achievement
If I stop and think for a moment, I feel a sense of achievement in many ways. I am helping our elderly next-door neighbours with their food shopping, so they don’t have to go out. I am now responsible for my children’s education while schools are closed, and I have somehow been able to cope, maintain some kind of normality and be a pillar of support during this situation that we have been presented with.
Community Spirit
From clapping for the NHS frontline staff at 8pm every Thursday to new support groups offering help and advice in our surrounding area, this period of our lives has brought out the best in so many people. There is a huge sense of community spirit that has evolved where I live. Everyone is united and will do whatever it takes to help one another in these hard times. It’s great and comforting to see and I hope it continues when we all go back to our normal lives.
Appreciate the Small Things
Listening to music on Spotify, reading a book on my Kindle, having internet connection and the technology to message or speak to family members and friends in isolation – these are some of the things that I once took for granted. This situation has taught me to be grateful for what I have, however insignificant they may seem. “Sometimes you have to forget what’s gone to appreciate what still remains and look forward to what’s next.”– Will Smith
It’s been great to sit down and write this for other people to read. It has helped me refocus my thoughts and I hope it will also help you to think of the positives in your life during these tough times. Thanks for reading and I hope you all stay safe and well!
Jen Harris
Marketing Consultant, Xcession, UK.
