One Day at a Time...

Taking things one day at a time. There is no other way right now, or we will all just meltdown. If that means not watching any news, stepping away from social media, then so be it. I feel lucky to have my work routine of sorts at the moment, something I didn’t think I’d hear myself say, as it gives me direction during the week, and I have my walk each lunch time, to refresh myself and get a change of scenery. But we’ve just had the first weekend in lock-down and I was worried about the lack of routine, of not knowing what to do. So I made a list, and tried to tick a few of the tasks off. It may not work for everyone, but it gave me some direction and made me feel like I was at least doing something. By finding other things to fill the weekend, I found myself taking something from each thing I did, and making sure I enjoyed it, especially when it was something I don’t normally allow myself time to do, such as reading for a length of time, or painting. It made a nice change.

But something else I realised was the need to talk. For a moment, when you’re lost in a task, or enjoying a walk or film, you can forget what situation the world is in, balanced on the edge. Of course, we need to talk things through, but not to the point of panicking each other. And not just now, but at any time. I’ve found some comfort in writing, either a blog post like this one, or a poem or journaling. But it can still be a lonely process, and that’s why talking to someone can make a difference, sharing problems and fears to know that you are not alone and lessen some of the anxieties that difficult situations bring.

All the simple things that we used to take to take for granted are now some of the things we miss the most. A face to face chat, a hug, a cup of coffee with a friend. They’re not anything big, but they can mean so much more when you can’t do it. It’s come to something when the highlight of your week is going to do the food shop, a job most of us don’t enjoy, but now it’s a treat of sorts and we’re grateful for that, and for the people allowing us to be there.

That’s what it comes down to, being grateful. We’re still here whereas others are sadly not, and for all the people working to hold our country together in so many different ways, we can only applaud you as we watch from the side-lines. It’s a difficult time, whatever position we are in, but as one day ends, we’re another day closer to where we’re heading, wherever that may be, but we are  going to get  there, slowly.