My take on the Corona Virus and a call for help

I’ve struggled with lots of things since the lockdown to slow the spread of the corona virus was enforced.

I miss going to the coast and smelling the seaside smells, listening to the waves roll in and crash on the shore and maybe, if it’s warm enough, having a bag of chips sitting outside (they never taste as good anywhere else and, I’m old enough to remember how they tasted even better when we were allowed to eat them out of newspaper, that’s something I miss at anytime)

I miss hugs with my daughter and friends and can’t wait to hug everyone as soon as we are allowed to do that.

I miss my face to face networking, although online networking has it’s advantages (how many of us are wearing pyjama bottoms whilst we chat away in our “business voices” hahaha?) I started my own group just before all of this and have had to move that online now (www.bit.ly/coffeeladies)

But I have gained some positives in my life too.

I am loving my new daily habit (most days anyway, I have had some dark moments when that’s not happened) of going for a walk outside. I’m so grateful that we live so close to the canal and really feel for anyone who is stuck in a flat with no green spaces nearby.

I am loving the sense of community that is starting to blossom amongst the fear and worry. I am part of a local initiative to help out anyone in my neighbourhood who can’t get out and am doing some shopping and collecting prescriptions for a few local people. I’ve also joined the NHS volunteer initiative which is similar but on a much larger scale (https://www.england.nhs.uk/2020/03/your-nhs-needs-you-nhs-call-for-volunteer-army) This isn’t operating fully yet as they have been overwhelmed by the numbers who have volunteered and they’ve had to pause new applications whilst they process the 750,000 people who lined up to help out (WOW!!!)

I’m loving how much decluttering I’m getting done. Something like this clearly shows us how unimportant “stuff” is and I’m working my way through getting rid of anything that doesn’t serve me anymore. That includes activities. I have spent a lot of time thinking about what I want keep in my business. I’m 60 in 2 months time and want to semi retire so I will be concentrating more on my writing going forward. I also want to do more meditation and will be running a local group when the restrictions have been lifted. I’m going to practice my skills by running a free online group every Monday during lockdown (www.bit.ly/suzimed) and then start the face to face version once we’re back to normal. Although I suspect our new normal will look very different, with all the new things we will take out of our current experiences.

I’ve been trying to get back to writing my novel recently. It’s all about a girl who discovers she’s half fairy on her 14th Birthday. I plan a whole series of these books which will follow her as she learns how to navigate her world now she knows about her magical heritage. The trouble is it’s really hard to write about magic, unicorns etc when all around you is news of illness, death and hardship. I’ve got stuck and desperately need some help to get going again.

I was thinking about this recently and have come up with an idea which might help. I’ve opened a facebook group and asked for people to help me out with ideas on where to take the story and what some of the plot twists might be. That way I hope it’ll kickstart my imagination again. It will also allow others to contribute to a book and feel some of their ideas have helped form the storylines. Please come and join if you’d like to contribute, I’ll be posting my first request for help over the weekend. (www.bit.ly/bookcoop)

To finish this post off I’d like to take the opportunity to thank all of the people who have carried on working selflessly during these tricky times. Let’s take a moment to appreciate all of the NHS workers (to include cleaners, porters etc.), teachers, private care workers, police, farmers, military, pharmacists, dustmen, shop assistants, postal workers, delivery drivers and anyone who else who are keeping the infrastructure going. We are very grateful for what you are doing.

Stay safe everyone and remember …..

Imaginary fears do as much damage to your happiness as real ones. Let your imagination take you to happy places, the feelings that will generate will carry you through the darkest of days.

Stay safe and see you on the other side

Photos by Robyn Budlender & Ella Jardim on Unsplash