Reflecting on the last three months

Reflecting on the last three months

By John Denyer, Editor Probus News Magazine, 17th May 2020

The last three months have been heartbreaking with so much loss of life, locally, regionally, nationally and across the world. Too many people, young and old, have been taken from their families. Too many lives cut short, too much sorrow and too many families forced apart at times when they most needed to be together. Tragedy like this, on a scale like this, is something that 6 or 12 months ago, not many of us would have imagined possible in today’s modern world.

Of course, we are lucky to be living in a modern, wealthy country with a stable economy, longestablished institutions and blessed with a temperate climate. It’s not like this everywhere in the world - Syria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Iraq, Afghanistan and other places come to mind, where, in living memory, daily life has been and still is, significantly harder than many of us can imagine. Perhaps that relative comfort is why it’s been such a shock to the system here in the UK and in the wider developed world. N

evertheless, we rallied, found a 21st century version of the ‘Dunkirk Spirit’, muddled through in some respects and came to terms with a new normal. Many of us learned a new respect for the professionalism and humanity that health care professionals exhibit in their daily work, as well as a greater appreciation for those countless other key workers that have long been taken for granted. Some of us became familiar with new words: lockdown, social distancing, shielding, the R value, second wave, self-isolation and of course epidemiology. Who would have thought six months ago we’d all be speaking in such code?

We found ourselves in a situation where most of us are separated from some friends, family and loved ones, yet forced to live cheek by jowl with other friends, family and loved ones. Closer perhaps, than some of us would like. We had to quickly learn to live within new boundaries, we compromised, innovated and adopted new technologies. We rediscovered hobbies, mastered some new skills and relearned forgotten ones, we found our own entertainment. Importantly, we re-evaluated and re-appreciated what’s around us, what was already there but perhaps we couldn’t see, local businesses for example. For the first time in a very long time, we could really hear nature in all its beauty - bird song that hasn’t been so clearly heard in living memory. In cities and towns around the world, air pollution cleared allowing the Milky Way to be seen for the first time in decades.

Those that had to, and were able to, carried on doing their important work. The doctors, nurses, paramedics and other health care professionals, the auxiliaries, hospital cleaners, drivers, emergency services, bin men, supermarket workers, milkmen, farmers, delivery drivers - the list is inexhaustible. The common denominator being that they all carried on doing their vital work, some at significant risk to themselves and their families. Locally, we had a host of volunteers step forward to offer assistance to anyone in the village who needed a helping hand. Countless examples of community spirit that warms the heart.

What will the next three, six or nine months bring us? Change and uncertainty for sure. An evolving new normal. One thing I’m sure about is that apart from rare examples, we’ve seen the very best of ourselves and there is yet more to come.