… and breathe

The world has gone a little crazy hasn’t it. Who knew, as we ushered in a new year just a few short months ago, that this is what we had to look forward to.

Who knew that there would come a time when we are actively told to stay home, to not work, to not even leave our own houses unless we really need to. Who knew that something as small as a virus would bring the world to a halt and fill us all with a level of fear we never expected.

Grandparents can no longer have visits from their grandchildren, children cannot visit their parents, friends remember fondly meeting up with friends.

But at the same time, we are lucky in ways that we have never been before.

At no other time in history could we still see each other, still talk and be together, as if we were in the same room. Technology is allowing those isolated from the world to still reach out and make contact with those they love.

In this terrible time it is easy to let fear take hold of us, to worry for ourselves and for those we love, to imagine the worst and not be able to hope for the best.

We can get so consumed with surviving that we forget to live.

So just stop. Take a breath. Look up at the bright blue sky and notice how much bluer it is without the streaks of white from countless planes. Breathe deeply and notice the scent of spring flowers on the warm breeze. Listen to the song of the birds and the buzzing of the bees.

Life is hard right now. It is frightening. It is worrying. But it is not going to be like this forever. Hold on to whatever faith you may have. Hold on to the love you share with family and friends. Hold on to the knowledge that this too will pass.

And breathe. Just breathe.