What did you take for granted?

When we were “free” to go where ever and there wasn’t a pandemic, did you find that you didn’t really put priority on the same things you would now? ?Is anyone else feeling like this? I miss people and being able to have a laugh in person, and not over a screen. I miss learning about others and listening to their stories. You know, I miss being human, with other humans.

Looking forwards, where do you think this is all going to end up? One thing is that these days have been a great time for reflection. If you managed to get a moment to think that is. In the midst of it all, we’ve both talked of what will become of life after Corona.

I’m feeling that it’s great to slow down. Life pre lockdown was moving too fast and I realise now that I could hide from things by making up excuses that I was too busy. I was missing what’s important for the sake of constantly keeping busy. But now, in these still more closed down times, it’s easy to sit here and say that when we are out of all this we’re going to have a slower life, we’re going to see friends and family even more, we’re going to travel and not spend as much money on things that we don’t need. But are we really going to do all that?

From time to time I do a bit of work for my Dads family business, which if you didn’t know is a funeral directors. Over the years I’ve seen people in floods of tears making promises that they are going to do more together? Make more of their lives and make things count, but I do wonder if life does change after such a big event or if it just falls into the same groove again. I know parts of it are inevitable and for some of us, the wheels just keep on turning and we just have to get up and carry on but.. what would/could you do differently now you have had time for some perspective?

I reckon life would be better if we all changed a little after lockdown, if we slowed down, were more considerate of others. didn’t buy as much crap that we didn’t need and spent more time with friends and family. Appreciating nature a little more and this beautiful world around us has become something we’ve become so much more grateful for in these past months. Along with finding a wonderful community of people who are willing to swap seedling cuttings and halve their bags of icing sugar if anyone needed a bit. I really can’t get over the change on our doorstep in these past months and even when we are passing by people on a walk. Gratitude for humanity is my favourite outcome of this horrendous virus.

What do you miss? Are things going to change for you if things ever get back to normal? Will it be normal? So many questions lurking around at the moment for most of us.