Well I didn’t mean to take a month off from my wonderful and cathartic blog but that appears to have been the case regardless.
I quite like March. The month of daffodils and the much needed hope of spring; peeping out from behind the clouds of a chilly dark winter.
March represents my RP anniversary. The 12th of March to be precise. It was a Thursday. Nothing remarkable about the day and to be honest, I was just kinda glad it shuffled on by.
March also became the month our world completely changed. Coronavirus or Covid-19, wrapped its arms around every aspect of our life and all too quickly; squeezed us all into social distancing, self isolation, fear and sadly the loss of many lives.
Schools and businesses closed. Our freedom curtailed and as I write this; thousands of lives have been lost all over the world and more are dying each day.
Job losses, economies crashing, debts spirally and people scared for their lives and their future. Families and friends are no longer able to physically be with each other. No visits, no hugs and kisses. No children are playing with their grandparents. We are all to stay in our homes. To protect ourselves, others and our amazing but under pressure heath service.
Technology is now playing a vital role in keeping everyone connected. FaceTime, Zoom and Skype are bringing people together now more than ever. I’m picking up the phone, texting and sending more photos and videos, than I have ever done before. I have a daily phone call with my mum, every morning over a coffee. It’s my way of clawing back some normal in a very weird time.
Playgrounds, beaches, high streets, shopping centres, churches, schools and sports facilities all lie empty. It’s like a movie we have all seen but unfortunately we are now starring in.
Each day brings more bad news. More infections. More fatalities. No one appears to be safe anymore. It’s hard to have hope when all the news reports, just show more death and scary looking graphs, illustrating how fast and how bad things are getting.
“Kinda feeling like the earth just sent us all to our rooms to think about what we’ve done.” – Unknown
Our wonderful key workers are keeping our country going. So brave. So devoted. They are the very best of us. Doctors, nurses, hospital staff, care workers, teachers, delivery drivers and staff that keep our vital food stores and pharmacies open. There are no words to describe how grateful we are to each and every one of them. We thank you.
This month 750,000 members of the public have volunteered to help assist our NHS and become Volunteer Responders. These people will be able to assist the NHS, by driving people to and from hospital and delivering food and medication. They will also support the NHS to transport equipment and supplies. They will make regular phone calls, to check on people isolating in their homes due to Coronavirus. People from all backgrounds signed up in just a matter of days, to do what they can in an effort to protect us all.
On Thursday 26th March our nation took part in Clap for our Carers. At 8pm everyone stepped out of their homes, onto their streets, gardens and balconies, to applaud our amazing health care workers. These individuals are on the front line every single day during this scary and unprecedented time.
Very few survival stories are making the news but people are surviving. Many people who contract this disease end up with mild or no symptoms at all. It’s a vicious and unpredictable lottery.
I cling to the goodness of people. Our NHS heroes that are battling each day to make sure we make it back home. The volunteers that just want to help in any way possible. The friends, neighbours and loved ones, helping each other get through the day. The strangers that exchange a friendly smile, as they maintain their 2 metre social distance, as they pass in the street. With each kind and selfless gesture is another glimmer of hope.
“Only in the darkness can you see the stars.” – Martin Luther King
Stay safe everyone.