Lock down, open up; lock down, open up....

 Lock down, open up; lock down, open up; lock down, open up. 

That’s been the pattern here in Ireland since March 2020 & we've all heard, especially via media channels, how hard it’s been for older people; students confined to study at home; families with young children. It’s been hard for all those working in our health system & much air play has been given to describing the routines nurses, carers etc followed as they went to & from work trying to keep themselves, their families & their patients as safe as possible. People working in supermarkets & others in various essential services received a little attention. That concern disappeared rapidly as the focus moved to a 'return to normal'!

 

Are we complacent - probably. As the numbers of infections wax & wane, the general population becomes more concerned with shopping, activities & holidays & not necessarily in that order. 

How soon will we forget that quality time we spent with our families & cherish it? ‘Everyone’ wants to return to ‘normal’ - like hamsters on a wheel, going faster & faster & faster, we will forget the lessons learned of taking our time; appreciating the relationships we have; the environment in which we live & for many taking a family walk will be forgotten & so will the benefits. 

At the beginning, I remember speaking with a parent who was suddenly overwhelmed with college student children; a partner who had taken up residence in a corner of their bedroom & the final straw was the only son in a full-time job announcing that he too was returning home as he wouldn’t be back in the office for the foreseeable future so there was no need for him to maintain a flat in the city! This wasn’t an unusual situation & I could understand that tempers were fraying while everyone found their own space & learned to respect each other - they weren’t children squabbling for a toy anymore but there was definitely a communication issue or two. The only time they’d usually all be in the house at the same time was over Christmas &, sure you could cope for a few days. I should have mentioned that this Mum also has a full-time career but in a position where she had to leave the house daily. The feeling of being overwhelmed came from the fact that when she returned home after a stressful day meeting the public, she was expected to turn into a doormat & cook & clean just like when they were children. She was at the point where she didn’t want to go home at all & who could blame her. 

I listened & all I could suggest was that every evening, rain, hail or snow, she would go for a walk even to the end of the garden. She would tell everyone what she planned to do & if anyone wanted to join her, that was grand. For the first week or more, she was all on her own, but gradually she was joined by the others & oftentimes returning to the house, they shared the chores that had to be done. 

The family has watched birds & trees; listened to nature’s music & been soaked to the skin in an unexpected shower. These simple pleasures (and trials) they have done together!