Growing Old – On Lock Down!

Well from today Spain is officially on lock down! The streets are so quiet and the silence is beautiful, no traffic passing by and the sound of the birds echoing around filling the space of silence. Some say this feels like madness but for me it feels like an escape from the daily treadmill and routine that we call sanity. The body and mind can take a rest from all pressures of life, a time to take stock without the distractions.

Yes of course the worry of catching Coronavirus sticks in the back of the mind, but the truth is many of us have colds or flu symptoms that have been hanging around a few weeks now. Testing is only done if we have been in contact with anybody carrying the virus or we develop a high fever or breathing problems that cant be controlled with medication. Many suspect that the virus is more prevalent than figures suggest as without testing and with the milder symptoms the same as a cold or flu, many cases will go unnoticed or undocumented.

So what will happen next? Only Time will tell, maybe the world will get back to normal in a month or so as if nothing had happened, maybe an economic collapse as many businesses struggle with the stopping of production, many local businesses may suffer too with the loss of tourism income as Easter approaches. Lock downs are un chartered territory and filled with uncertainty.

One thing that is clearly happening is the appreciation for life, family and friends which we all take for granted, it may have taken a pandemic to remind people what is important in life but its happening, the question remains will people still hold on to this when (normal) life resumes and we all get back on the treadmill? Over the next few weeks will we form stronger bonds and relationships or will we drive each other up the wall? Time will tell.

For today I bask in the release from normality with permission to do what many of us crave, leave the rat race of life’s social and economic pressures behind, enjoy the sounds of quietness and just breathe. In this stillness our beautiful planet that we call home is healing from the excessive pollution levels that we create, seen in pollution statistics from China while it was under lock down. This may sound crazy but this peace that I sense all around may just be human relief from daily pressures but I feel strongly that its coming from mother nature herself, taking a sigh of relief doing what she does best repairing, renewing and supplying life with its abundance. One can only hope that after the emergency lock downs, people, after reflecting and having time out, may realise that going back to normal isn’t really what they want for themselves or family and that there has to be a better way for the good of our planet, its species and for all of us, not just a few people!

Stay safe, wash your hands, self isolate, restrict movement and contact to only necessary not luxury, and remember these precautions are necessary to protect the ones you love and those around you. They may prevent the spread of the virus and need for lock-downs, avoiding extra strain on our overburdened emergency services. Our nurses and doctors don’t have the option to stay at home, they work endlessly putting themselves at risk. I send out my heart felt gratitude to them, Thankyou.💜

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Ps if your reading this and hoarding Toilet paper then can you please stop and leave some for the rest of us!!!!!!!!!! 😃 and at the same time save some trees!