We set out into 2020 without a care in the world. We had our plans, and our diaries had commitments and appointments; holidays we were planning and celebrations we were attending, even the occasional wedding and 18th birthday celebration and overseas travel.

Then one day, on 23rd March life changed. We were hit with a National Crisis of the Coronavirus Pandemic and the need for social distancing and living life so differently to normal.  All change. It’s pretty crazy eh?

Everything changed.  Life changed. Plans changed. Hopes changed.

Some changes are for the better! 

• Nature seems to have come alive. The hedgerows are bursting with colour, there are more birds singing than I’ve heard for a very long time. Travel and transport have changed beyond recognition, and this means a notable decrease in air pollution. I was listening to a documentary about Delhi, India, that the air there has never been so clear. They have, for the first time ever, been able to see the Himalayan Mountains in the far distance.
• People seem kinder – neighbours are reaching out to others around them, even drivers are being more cooperative, and people out walking greeting each other when six months ago they may have walked by. That might be their main human interaction for the outside their home, so now it has great value.
• Life has a different pace now. We have slowed right down. We are doing things very differently than we ever have.
• We are more grateful than ever for life’s simple pleasures of family and home and good food and good weather and a daily walk has never been so appealing and satisfying. We are grateful for the NHS and all key workers who are working so hard for our nation.

But not all the changes of this crisis are positive. For many there are changes that are hard to process. Let’s think of a few:

• Loneliness. This crisis is bearable if you live with a family you love and in a home you are comfortable in. But if you are alone, you might feel even more isolated. Are there any people living near you who are on their own that need your help? How can you combat your own loneliness? How can you stay in touch with friends and family?
• Especially in the early stages of this crisis, where everything was so unsure, there was a huge increase in anxiety levels. That’s not surprising. Anxiety is very real, and coupled with depression can be crippling. How can we help this?
• If you have saved for the rainy day, or are a key worker and still in employment, you may not have experienced a huge dent to your bank balance. But what if you are employed in tourism or hospitality industry, on a zero hours contract? This is devastating.

Let’s think about all these changes and how they impact us, and those around us. Covid 19 brings change……..of that there is no doubt.