We’re heading towards lockdown and I am surprised at the observations I’ve already made during this time where the world feels slightly like it’s falling apart. There have been negative things such as my shock and despair at the state of humanity and the way certain people behave at times of crisis; the fact that so many small businesses that people have worked so hard to create and run are crumbling, and of course, the obvious, that the suffering (both physical and mental) being faced by so many people during this global pandemic is too vast for me to really comprehend and accept.
There are also some good things. I’ve noticed that there is an innate goodness in many people – people rallying together to support their communities so that things are in place before it gets really bad; people using their skills and abilities to provide light relief and entertainment to the world during this global pandemic, and friends and families coming together in ways they’re not familiar with such as utilizing new technology as a way to keep in touch. People are adapting and readjusting everywhere, and with that has come much goodness and kindness.
Yesterday I put a call out on Facebook for people to tag me if they see any video footage of people singing from balconies, entertaining people from their homes etc. and I was inundated with positivity. From videos to news articles, stories to photographs, I felt like I had a constant stream of loveliness coming at me to counteract the sheer abyss of negativity that my Facebook feed has become for the last week or so. What a lovely, simple thing – somebody taking the time to tag me in something they see online – that made such a huge difference to boost my mood. I asked for a little brightness, and I received a lot. I have a lot of faith in people today.
I have no idea where we’re headed from here. I suspect we’re heading for lockdown, and am mentally preparing myself for this to be the case. Like everybody else, I’m apprehensive about what’s to come. I hope that by documenting it like I do so much else, I’ll be able to come out the other side of this in one piece.
So from now on, I’ll be writing weekly posts for as long as the Coronavirus pandemic lasts. If you’re reading this, I can’t promise this series will be fun, interesting or even worth a read. But maybe by reading a little bit of somebody else’s life, a little bit of somebody else’s new normal, you might be able to pass a little more time stuck at home and realise that we’re all just trying our best to navigate through this unprecedented time.
Reflect and Introspect 