JUST ANOTHER SATURDAY
.....except it’s not!
One week into isolating and social distancing, phrases that have become part of everyday conversation, even for my 4 year old grandson, Saturday comes around just as it does every week. But the question this week isn’t “where will we go?” But instead it’s “what can we do?” Everyone has there own way of coping, of dealing with being with the people they live with. It may be a large family household, in which case there will be a lot of fun going on, even in these uncertain times, but there will also be the lows to go with the highs. The home schooling is only a week old, still novel but not easy on the parents. Some of them will be asking difficult questions, they will be afraid and for parents whose job is to protect the children it is a testing time. Little kids aren’t understanding why they can’t have their play dates, their swimming lessons etc. But thankfully they are unaware of what’s going on and they will bounce back when it’s all over.
Then there’s the people who live alone. Probably the most vulnerable. No one popping in, no art classes, dancing, no weekly coffees meeting their friends. We all need to look out for them and try and provide them with some social contact, even if it’s a chat through a window, a cheery wave or an offer of picking up shopping.
Then there are couples. These come in all ages, young couples just learning how to live with someone, they’ll learn a lot in the coming weeks. Couples like ourselves who have been together for a long while. Can there possibly be anything more to learn about each other? A year into retirement we’ve had a bit of a practice run at this, but not 24/7. So let’s see how this pans out 😂
Our Saturday started with a coffee, a walk, long way round to pick up a paper and post a letter to an aunt who is on her own. Too far for us to pop in but a photograph and a letter will hopefully bring us a bit closer when it lands on her mat. I’m intending to write more letters to people over the coming days. Think we should all give it a go, reach out to somebody who’d appreciate a handwritten note. Most likely an elderly relative living alone.
Just as we arrived home a lady living close by seemed happy to have a chat, over the garden fence style. We passed a few minutes chatting then headed home.
One week into isolating and social distancing, phrases that have become part of everyday conversation, even for my 4 year old grandson, Saturday comes around just as it does every week. But the question this week isn’t “where will we go?” But instead it’s “what can we do?” Everyone has there own way of coping, of dealing with being with the people they live with. It may be a large family household, in which case there will be a lot of fun going on, even in these uncertain times, but there will also be the lows to go with the highs. The home schooling is only a week old, still novel but not easy on the parents. Some of them will be asking difficult questions, they will be afraid and for parents whose job is to protect the children it is a testing time. Little kids aren’t understanding why they can’t have their play dates, their swimming lessons etc. But thankfully they are unaware of what’s going on and they will bounce back when it’s all over.
Then there’s the people who live alone. Probably the most vulnerable. No one popping in, no art classes, dancing, no weekly coffees meeting their friends. We all need to look out for them and try and provide them with some social contact, even if it’s a chat through a window, a cheery wave or an offer of picking up shopping.
Then there are couples. These come in all ages, young couples just learning how to live with someone, they’ll learn a lot in the coming weeks. Couples like ourselves who have been together for a long while. Can there possibly be anything more to learn about each other? A year into retirement we’ve had a bit of a practice run at this, but not 24/7. So let’s see how this pans out 😂
Our Saturday started with a coffee, a walk, long way round to pick up a paper and post a letter to an aunt who is on her own. Too far for us to pop in but a photograph and a letter will hopefully bring us a bit closer when it lands on her mat. I’m intending to write more letters to people over the coming days. Think we should all give it a go, reach out to somebody who’d appreciate a handwritten note. Most likely an elderly relative living alone.
Just as we arrived home a lady living close by seemed happy to have a chat, over the garden fence style. We passed a few minutes chatting then headed home.
The streets were eerily empty. And sadly all the local shops closed for business. Newsagent was open to buy papers and a small orderly queue had formed outside Tesco.
Very thankful for the people still keeping these places going. I hope all the small business can withstand these times and we should all be supporting them once they reopen. They will need us.
The the sun was out, although it was chilly and the people who did pass were all very friendly, everyone exchanging “good mornings”, all obeying the distancing rules.
Had me wondering on a normal Saturday would people still be as friendly as today. Does adversity bring us closer to each other, make us reach out to strangers? My hope is it continues after all this is over.
On route the signs of Spring were all around. A sign of hope. Something I am holding on to. Better days are ahead.
Once home brunch was order of the day. A normal weekend event, and keeping as much normality in my life seems really important to me at this point. Once the door closes, and the door handles are sanitised and hands washed life as we know it resumes. I cooked, Robin set the table, after chopping the mushrooms. As I said we’ve had a year practising on daily routines.😂
We don’t have this every weekend but today it seemed right today for some reason We read the papers, enjoyed the breakfast and were thankful that we have a safe place behind the closed doors.
The hardest bit for me is not seeing the kids and grandchildren. Thanks to social media we can have chats, and chats from the window. Not the same but good to see them and the children all seem to dealing with it, and are happy. Just so sorry they are having to experience this awful time.
I hope at the end of this we will all come out of it happier with the small things in life, never again taking things for granted and with a more tolerant attitude and happier outlook on life.
We can learn from this.
A hard lesson but it will end.
Stay safe and well and remember stay home.
(
Comments
Post a Comment