I thought I would add my thoughts about how I have managed during this pandemic. I was talking to my counsellor the other day, and she was saying how young people were really stressed about the pandemic and had actual fears. Meanwhile I have been whistling dixie and the most chilled I have ever been.

In the beginning when the virus was about to start I was really stressed. As a care worker I would be locked down for 3 months and not allowed out of the house and this filled me with dread. I am used to going out for walks every day and having a coffee and reading my papers. It’s not just about coffee but also about being in other spaces and staring at people as they pass by. Generally feeling free. So this was stressing me out and also the number counts of people dying.

There was this documentary on the BBC about the history of viruses and I thought this would be the worse thing to watch but I persevered and watched it. It talked about the Spanish Flu of 1914 and also all the other viruses that had been around for ages. It also mentioned how ALL viruses come in 3 STAGES and the 2nd one is ALWAYS the worst. Sorry to capitalize these ideas but it also serves as a warning of what seems to becoming this October/November.

However disturbing this may appeared to me I was surprised I found it was relaxing. It made me realize that we are not the only ones and that many viruses have been swirling around ASIA or the Middle-East for a long-time, and now the privileged West is about to experience it’s first. I still know it’s not nice for those who have lived in some protective bubble and never contemplated the suffering that goes on in the poorer worlds. But this is reality for half-the planet.

And now some people will be experiencing their first existential threat in their life time and it won’t be nice. The only way I can help is that for me with the country in lockdown, and all travel banned, there literally was nothing I could do to change my circumstances, and for the first time in my life I was forced to ‘let go and let God,’ as they say. That means relax into the situation because everything is completely out of my control.

Now normally when we try to tell ourselves to relinquish control we never do, and underneath there is a fraction of ourselves wishing and hoping for something to happen, but the pandemic has stopped all that. With nothing to do, all you can do is relax and let go. And for me that was just enjoying the walks, enjoying reading the papers, and enjoy watching television. Although I wanted to change a job there was literally nothing I could do.

I’m not too sure this view will work for you but you will just have to look at the literal aspects of this pandemic. All waves follow a 3 month curve. All viruses come in 3 waves. Proportionally those more likely to be effected are the over 70s. I know this is tragic and for those with underlying health conditions they need to shield. And know that this will be over by end of next summer 2021.

Just as we persevered during the second world war, and actually changed society for the  better, so also, or hopefully once this virus is finished. We may well make a better more socially aware and environmentally connected society.