2020 - It's Not Forever

Well what a year 2020 has been.... Ok we're only about 3 months in but it does feel longer for some. Keep reading though, you might find something useful in this post, I am just trying to get someone to read my blog really. What else are you going to do at home anyway? I had other blog posts that I wanted to write about but at the moment I've been thinking about what's going on in the world like everyone else. I am writing this blog post from home. I am currently sitting in my lounge with some music in the background as I write this and I am typing on my laptop. I just thought I would give you a description of my day. Just wait for the update when I go to the toilet or make a coffee step by step or make a meal. Actually I have done those things already so you get out of those exciting stories. It's cloudy in the Uk at the moment - you have to talk about the weather too. It has been mostly sunny recently though.

This is how things changed for me. One minute I was in Barcelona at the beginning of March having a nice holiday and the next I got back to the Uk to extreme panic buying. My friends had sent me pictures of empty shelves of toilet paper while I was away. I left Spain just before the virus spread rapidly. I got back to the Uk and went to a shop and found empty shelves of toilet paper and pasta and other things. To most in the Uk maybe they have never experienced this before but it was familiar to me because we had our food shortages in Zimbabwe. This wasn't even a shortage. In fact the shops were much better stocked even at the height of panic buying compared to Zimbabwe when the shelves were very empty at one stage and you couldn't even find essential items. It brought back the memories of other things I have faced in my life.

As the virus spread things progressed to restaurants, cafes, retails stores and many other businesses temporarily closing. Then we entered lock down where we currently are. However what we are facing is something different to anything most of us have ever experienced. There are people all around the world infected mildly or severely by this virus. I even know of people infected. There have been deaths. It has shocked the world and taken the world by storm. I didn't realise myself how serious it was until later.

The bottom line is that we can all help. We can stay home except for valid reasons to prevent the spread of this virus. While you may be worried about what is happening in the world and what it means for your future plans, it's a small price to sacrifice a few plans to keep safe so that we can have a future. It's a small price to pay to stay home while there are others in many countries that have lost loved ones or they themselves are infected. I can't speak for all the world but here in the Uk most are home with electricity, wifi, running water, food and just have leisure time at home mostly. That's a small price to pay.

There are those in healthcare that have to work and help those infected and work long hours due to a lack of staff. There are those that work in supermarkets or those that are drivers or carers or support workers or paremedics or police who are working throughout, keeping people fed, doing deliveries, keeping people safe and supporting the vulnerable. There are lots of people still working in all kinds of professions in order to help people. The more you leave your house and the more you are around people, the more chance you have of catching the virus and spreading it. I work in healthcare as a support worker and I still have to work throughout. If you have the opportunity to stay home more, within the comfort of your own home with food and everything else and be at less risk, that is a small price to pay. 

There are people where home is not a place of comfort and going out of home is actually an escape due to abuse etc. There are people around the world who have businesses that wont recover after this. There are people who lost all income and have no help from their government. If your only sacrifice is staying home and missing out on future plans consider yourself very fortunate right now. I had plans too this year that at the moment wont happen. 

Wherever you fall as we are all in different circumstances it's important in times of trouble to hang on to hope. Yes there is a lot going on and it's hard to process everything, it changes daily. However we will reach the other side, we have just have to hang on. We have learnt a big lesson on what we all take for granted in this world. We have seen kindness in those who are social distancing and showing they care about others by following guidelines. There have been a lot of people following the guidelines. We have also seen people who don't and who do ridiculous things but we are always going to get those people too. Hopefully everybody learns something from all this. There is a lot of bad in this world but there is good too.

If you are bored here are some fun things to do at home:

Make a card for Nicola (to give later on when things settle down)

Do a funny video for Nicola

Read Nicola's blog posts

Call Nicola

Clean your house

Empty your bin

Count to 100

Watch the clock

Exercise 

(I would also say buy Nicola food or presents that's fun too but put those on your list for when things settle down). See even planning for the future. I told you that you might find something useful in this blog post. 

I like music and lyrics. I listen to music every day. You may realise I like music if you have me on social media, I post some songs I like. I do have a point in this. I found this song that you can listen to, it's called It's not over yet by for King and Country:

Saw this online, it's true:

I found this link to this post that has some really great words for you to read you can read it here --Always be grateful for what you have no matter how hard life gets

Just remember that everything that is going on in 2020 - it's not forever. We will make it through this and reach the other side. 

May you all stay safe and take care,

With that I shall love and leave you,

Until I write again,

Nicola Hill