The world as we know it has changed dramatically for the foreseeable future, and this can be scary and daunting. We have to focus on the positives and pay attention to the little things, as these are what help us to pull each other through these testing times.
The first week was a bit of everything where we all were just muddling through, not really knowing if how we were doing things was going to work but trying our best anyway. The entire country was fighting to make it work and we really appreciated how understanding you, our clients were about the situation, it made everything a lot easier.
Those of us with children had them getting involved with drawing rainbows and putting these up in their windows. It started on social media with the idea behind it being that it would bring a smile to people who were out walking. It originated in Italy and then Spain before the UK picked up on it. Something so simple and yet now, walking around, you can’t help but smile when you see a rainbow picture in a window.
News also quickly spread on social media about Clap for our Carers, with the idea being that on the first Thursday evening at 8pm, they were asking people to stand on their doorsteps and clap for 1 minute to show our support and thanks for the NHS and Carers. Who could have foreseen just how big the impact would be? “That first evening, standing on my doorstep, nervously starting to clap, thinking I’d be the only one – it was very overwhelming to hear just how much noise Olney could make. Having a family member working on the frontline in hospital meant this held a little more significance to me but what a unique way for the country to show it’s support.”
We’ve started doing good news Friday posts on social media which we’ve found are great at prompting us to focus on the good that has happened that week. Watching the news the weeks before and during lockdown, it’s all too easy to get obsessed by the facts and figures that were being talked about. This really impacts on your ability to see the amazing things that are happening; communities pulling together to support their local small businesses, small businesses having to adapt ‘overnight’ creating ways to deliver items, neighbours supporting those who are self-isolating and shopping for each other, a 100 year old man raising over 31 million pounds for NHS charities, children filling their windows with rainbows, families and friends doing online quiz nights or bake-alongs and even Joe Wicks becoming the nation’s PE teacher.
It really is phenomenal just how the whole country has pulled together, adapted so quickly and made it work. Never has the saying “Keep calm and carry on” been more apt.
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