Lockdown

I know many people have written about it Shared their views, their take, their spin After all these are extraordinary, ‘unprecedented’ times we’re in And when we look back, when it’s all over I’m sure our minds will gloss over so many things So whilst we’re here I will ponder what it’s like and make a note

To be honest I’d say it’s been quite an inconvenience Upsetting my routine, limiting me – or has it actually? If I consider a work day before lockdown – Eat, ride, work, eat, ride, work, ride, eat, relax, sleep And a work day in lockdown, well until the end of May… Eat, long ride, work, eat, another ride at some stage (when rules were eased), work, eat, relax, sleep

So mostly I was doing the same things Just with some variations in the timings But I missed seeing my office and colleagues, I missed the banter And the different ways of doing things Seemed to make life busier, almost faster Rather than quieter, slower – which everyone seemed to say should be the case!

And with the changes in church services and prayer meetings Time was taken getting used to the new ways And looking around at the many available resources Then people were making contact more Checking others were ok Ringing, writing, emailing, social-media-ing! just not meeting physically together

There were other regular things we couldn’t do Like visiting relatives Travelling by train Eating out And basically having the freedom to choose what we wanted to do And when and where

But we became used to these things, this new way We could still cycle into the countryside The roads were quieter (well, at the start, anyway) Shopping was possible Deliveries became more available And, for me, time definitely kept rushing along

There may have been an intention to focus on nature more Although, with cycling, we often did that anyway To focus on God more But there seemed, to me, no more time than before Although opportunities abounded – so many services And town-wide prayer, and Spring Harvest at Home

Work very kindly gave me an extra week’s leave And I tried to listen to God To see and hear what he wanted to say, to achieve through this time But still time rushed by I had work to do, jobs to do And my daily cycle target to meet…

I have always found it hard to slow down To be still, to be patient, to wait I find it much easier to be doing things Rather than just to be, to be being And there are times for doing But there are also times for just being

It’s interesting the way that things happen The way situations seem to be ‘engineered’ We can be very set in our ways Very happy going along with how things are Some people are more willing to change than others Some people cope with change(s) better than others

And so we got to mid-May, when I came off my bike! But, with a little adjustment, I carried on with the present normal… I did have some ‘issues’, but time heals – normally! And then it was June and I wasn’t getting better I had to admit I needed a second (other than my own) opinion Which resulted in me actually needing even more help

The diagnosis was pessimistic But the prognosis was optimistic Short term pain was required For long term gain I would definitely have to slow down – be patient, still and wait I had no choice in the matter

And so came another new ‘normal’ A lockdown within lockdown The day became – Be helped to eat (and do most things!), work (typing slowly), be helped to eat, rest, be helped to eat, relax, sleep I could no longer visit the countryside Because I couldn’t ride, we have no car, and public transport is, effectively, banned!

How would I adapt? How would I cope? How would Phil adapt? How would Phil cope? Ironically, the time ‘saved’ not cycling Was mostly needed to help me get up, dressed and fed!

Many have contemplated what is normal Some want the old normal back, some don’t Most don’t want the current normal to be the new normal I hope, pray and believe that my present normal won’t be the post-Covid normal Maybe in the future there won’t be such a thing as normal Nothing will be normal

I said that cycling time was replaced – With ‘caring for Mary’ time So Phil still seems to have little spare time But I was told to take it easy, to rest And for the first time in 21 years I took sick leave – this gave me (some) time to think and write and be…

And what about our upcoming holiday? Well, unsurprisingly, we had to cancel it So there is no opportunity to get away But we still need a break from work In fact, rather than take the days we would have had We’ve split it across two months

But what are we actually able to do? The lockdown may be starting to ease More shops are now starting to open Zoos and similar attractions are available, if you can get there However, as I said before, we’re rather limited In how, and how far, we can justifiably go

So, whilst on leave, we can think We can walk and we can talk We can enjoy our home, and garden We can generally take things easy We can simply be But we must not live with regret

I forgot to mention that the recent easing Brought in the idea of ‘bubbles’ Where two households, if they fit criteria Can effectively start to act as if they are the same household Some who may be more in need of ‘support’ Can now, legally, access ‘support’, which may just be wanting company

I’m pleased to say we can now see Luke Although he has to come to us! As almost four miles is a long walk But it good to see him To physically see him And to start to spend a little more time together

But if he’d been sharing a house Already in a household of two or more Then things wouldn’t have changed We wouldn’t have been able to form a bubble Wouldn’t that have been unfair? Isn’t that illogical?

Now more ‘easing’ has been announced But it’s not to be enacted yet Why do we get so much advance warning? Social distancing won’t be quite so distant And we can soon start to visit family again With various limitations

It’s been quite profound The control the government has I don’t think we realised before Covid It has brought a new dimension to life And to what the Bible says About obeying those in authority

Today I went out on the train I considered my journey to be essential And I had no other way of travelling that far Maybe not the happiest of circumstances Visiting a sick relative But definitely good to have a change of scenery

Both on the trains and at the stations Things were organised – arrows, etc. There was lots of hand sanitiser around But the trains were very empty The ‘few’ seemed to be abiding by the rules Keeping apart and hiding their faces

Is this the new norm? Is this a good norm? Could it be maintained? Or, as the ticket gate man said Come Saturday, when things ease Will things start to change or revert?

As many people have said Now is an especially difficult time to be bereaved A very hard time to grieve How can you provide comfort without touch? At a time when you want to be close You are being told to keep apart

So lockdown is easing further But what does that mean? It seems we can go to more places But now we have to mask up more We are still told to avoid public transport And only have limited social gatherings

Wear face coverings in enclosed spaces And avoid all possible contact! One-way systems are in use In various different places And people need to keep spaced out And should not sing or shout

In some places there are local lockdowns Some restrictions are being re-imposed People are again having to stay in Not see their family Not do what they had restarted doing Go back to the really difficult times

But isn’t this all very confusing We can do more but with more restrictions Did we start lockdown too late? Did we start the end of lockdown too early? Should we go to work? Shouldn’t we go to work?

So what does the future hold? What will happen? Will there be another spike? Will we ever be able to greet our friends again? What will be normal? Only God knows!