Our world has been turned on its head and it’s a scary place out there! Times like these I count my lucky stars to be where I am, in the place of my ancestors surrounded by beauty and inspiration to soothe the soul in these troubled times.
Coronavirus or Covid 19 is now a global pandemic. Governments across the world are taking differing stances but we all need to take account of our actions to try and stop the spread of this deadly disease. We need to stay home!
I’m fine when the sun is shining and there’s lots to keep me and the 4 kids occupied. Hubs is grand he is deemed as an essential worker, which is cool as it keeps us fed and watered but also worrying at the same time. We are blessed with space here and so much to explore.
Stay positive…
Being outside is my saviour -going on-line perhaps my downfall! I have to consciously limit the negativity overload of the doom and gloom naysayers and search for the positivity of people working together in these times of great uncertainty. News stories loaded with death statistics and heart wrenching accounts of loved ones dying alone without the comfort of their families are drowning our feeds.
The message has come through we need to stay safe, stay home, stop the spread, social distance – so enough of the scare tactics. Keep informed but don’t get obsessed with the statistics and the conspiracy theorists. You can only take responsibility for you and your family. Everyone feels the world is spinning out of control but we need to distance our hearts from the enormity of this global tragedy for our own sanity, in order to endure.
Just do your best…
Each day brings its own challenges but creating a schedule of sorts is a good way to stop all the days from rolling into one. We are all being pushed out of comfort zones, unsure of these new roles that have been assigned. Our job descriptions have been changed without consultation and we have no say in it. Lack of power over the situations being imposed on us can be disconcerting but we have to adjust whether we like it or not. Find your flow.
So I’m not over thinking or over analyzing. I’m just doing my best. I’m not a teacher, so I’ll find a home school schedule to fit around our walks and talks and discoveries. I’ll try not to lose the head. I’m not a psychologist so I will go with the flow and explain to my children why we cant visit Nana in the words I always use, why they have to stay at home, why they cant visit their friends – all this without inducing anxiety. I’ll have to be like the swan, calm on the surface with the legs kicking like feck under the surface!
I’m keeping busy. Social media is keeping me connected with the community I’m missing and I’m seeing stories of inspiration everywhere. We have gathered lots of cotton bedding and I’m busy making scrub bags and masks for our local hospital and care homes. My stepmom the more experienced seamstress is flat out sewing scrubs. Our sleeves are rolled up and its reminiscent of the old war effort to keep the country going. I’m using my creative flair to stay busy and do something positive in these dark days.
Search for the little things…
Look for the light. The simple things in life are the most uplifting. Learn to appreciate the little things, the bees on the dandelion, laughter, reading more stories together, first signs of spring, old movies, play those board games. Send nana a letter, lift up the phone to say hello, post a picture in the window to cheer someone up along their way. Be grateful for the little things we often take for granted.
I’m so aware of how lucky I am compared to others with the space we have to be locked down in. I cannot imagine being confined in a 5th story flat with no outside space. So I am am determined to channel that gratefulness to bring some kind of solace to others. How can I make a difference? I can capture the beauty that inspires me and I can share it. I will share my poetry, my photography and my art in the hope that it will bring beauty where it is needed.
I’ll #keepcreative as this is how my soul survives. I would encourage others to do the same, the world hasn’t stopped, it is still turning, the sun still rises and hasn’t given up, so neither should we! Keep searching for the beauty in the simple things, keep being encouraged by the creative solutions being dreamt up, by people coming together in adversity.
I’ll keep observing the beauty that is here and translate it into words or pictures as gifts to those blinded by the darkness of this strange time we find thrust upon us, in the hopes that I can raise them up and coax them into the light.
