I miss the planes

Life is slowing down all over the planet. People everywhere are being discouraged – even banned from congregating en masse. No going to the footy, no going to movies or the gym, no going out for dinner or out unnecessarily.

Many people are beginning to work from home. Wouldn’t that be great ! I have no job, so I feel like I’m always home lately. My heart goes out to those working in essential services (medicine, health, police, couriers, banking, retail) who can’t work from home. They have to keep going; to take care of us should we need them.

I am concerned that many people are not taking “social distancing” seriously. Going out and about; doing the things we all did without a thought until a few weeks ago. Not just people in the at risk age groups, but young people too.

Remember, you might be taking all the precautions – it doesn’t mean you are invincible. None of us are immune. You might not have any symptoms, but you could still be infected and give it to your grandparent or a friend from BINGO.

The other day I was messaging my niece. Her family, spanning FIVE generations, have agreed to not see each other for at least a month. They don’t even live too far apart from each other in the scheme of things, but they have made this choice to protect each other.

For me, well we share a house so we see each other all the time, but one of us works in health – where exposure to already immune-compromised people makes our hygiene habits critical. But a lot of thought goes into planning a trip to the supermarket to replenish essential supplies (if you can get them – no thanks to the idiot panic buyers and hoarders).

Our borders are closed; only citizens can enter the country. It is the same in many other countries too. I can leave – but I can’t come back. Even if I did leave I would need to go into “self isolation” for 14 days on arrival.

Aside from the measures our governments have made all across the planet in an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19, and the public service announcements we see online, tv and billboards and hear on radio reminding us to wash our hands (still amazed we need to be reminded about this)…what else can we learn ?

We are a social bunch, so some of us will struggle with these new rules. We can still be social though. There are online options for staying in touch with people – you can even PHONE people. Remember when we used to do that all the time; without a thought ?

Being mindful and taking time to reflect have been messages promoted by “alternate” health practitioners to help people take control and help them reclaim some calm amidst the crazy busy lives many of us live. But mindfulness and reflection aren’t “new fangled” things. They have been around forever. You can practice mindfulness yourself. You don’t need to pay someone. It is all about slowing down, taking time, being in the moment, reflecting, relaxing.

While you are working from home, just at home or trying to keep the kids amused, take a few moments for yourself. Listen to the birds, admire the flowers, be transfixed by butterflies dancing, watch the leaves as the breeze tickles them. You can do other things too – go for a walk (fresh air and open spaces are good – even now), bake; but take your time and enjoy the process – it will taste better ! knit, craft, read a book, PLAY with your kids, read to your kids.

Take time to write down and record some of the things which are going on in what seems to be a crazy situation. The world is slowing down, we all have time and we should take advantage. It’s what I am doing – you could just write it in a notebook, a diary, in a word document (like a digital journal) or blog. The problem with our digital online world is that none of us are really sure how anything will be archived, or how information might be accessed in the future. We can go to libraries either in person or online and read old newspapers, some of us are lucky enough to have diaries, journals and letters written by our ancestors. We can glean information from these about how past events like this affected our families. Spanish Flu, World War One, rationing, World War Two, industrialisation, fashion, education, the Depression, exploration across the planet and into space, mining disasters, shipwrecks – it’s all there, but what will we leave ?

All of my genealogy buddies are revelling in this enforced time at home to get on top of filing, tidying resources, checking facts have been correctly cited with source information, RESEARCHING, contacting DNA matches (because we all have time to reply to message now – right ?).

What’s going on in our home ? A spot of gardening, a jigsaw or two, genealogy (duh !) extreme cleaning, reading, baking, catching up on all those tv programmes and movies that we haven’t been able to cram in, applying for jobs (because - never give up), the occasional walk and a bit of just sitting, taking stock and watching the world go by; albeit more slowly now.

What do I hope is going to come out of this ? That we will be better people, that we will care more for each other and our planet. Look at how quickly pollution has decreased – even disappeared – as countries have slowed down and workplaces have closed down; hear the birds now that that industrial noise is quietening, see the water clearing in canals and the sea life once more visible.  The virus is threatening us, but at the same time healing our planet.

I do miss the planes though as our world slows down. It was a bit mindful for me watching them flying overhead returning from a journey or just beginning a new adventure. The sky is empty. The world is getting quieter.

We can do this. Take care of yourself, distance yourself from your loved ones and friends, cherish life, help the planet heal and we will heal too.

STAY HOME.

STAY SAFE.

WASH YOUR HANDS

DON’T GO TO THE SHOPS EVERYDAY.

DON’T HUG or SHAKE HANDS.

PROTECT OUR ELDERLY POPULATION.

PROTECT YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS WITH COMPROMISED HEALTH.

PLAN FOR THE FUTURE.