Quite rightly, we are staying home so our members can go to work. And staying at home has almost forced me to explore doing things differently and revealed some hidden talents. Recently, I found myself tidying and weeding my front garden and planting flowers which I had transferred from the back garden.
In normal circumstances, gardening would be the last thing on my list of ‘things to do’. It’s no laughing matter that I have previously managed to kill plants when I have forgotten to water them or otherwise ensure they received essential ingredients for growth. This has since changed and I’m now learning to tend the plants at a young age with much more positive results. I can now see a flower budding off one of the plants and I’ve never been so motivated to continue gardening.
Ticking off another job on the ‘to-do’ list I decided to clear the shed as part of the house cleaning activity. While doing this, I came across a cap that looked unfamiliar. I checked with my boys and realised that it must have belonged to a visitor from pre-COVID time.
My friend Jade and her son had visited us sometime late last year. We had had such a wonderful time together and her son must have forgotten the cap. I wondered what thoughts had run through his mind; he had probably thought he had lost it forever. With teenagers in the house who place a high value on this kind of item, I knew I should give my friend a call to let them know it had been found.
Jade and I had not been in touch since her visit due to both our work and family demands. Jade works in a local hospital and as a mother of young children, life can get very hectic. When I called her I was shocked to hear that she had been home sick with COVID-19 for the previous two weeks. Her young son, the cap owner, had been helping to take care of her as her husband was away. She assured me that she was on the mend and told me that her local church had been supporting her with food supplies. I was left quite speechless at that moment, feeling terrible for not reaching out earlier. I realised just how quickly life can change for anyone. I have since kept in touch regularly and she is now, thankfully, fully recovered.
It was a harsh reminder that in times like these, checking on each other is so very important. Be there for those you love and care about and let them be there for you too. I hope we, as a society, hold on to the lessons that this time is teaching us, that material goods are meaningless while human compassion and care are everything.
The RCN has a wealth of resources to help you during this time. You can find this information on our COVID-19 webpages.
We also continue to offer members our normal services of support, advice and information so please contact us on 0345 772 6100 or online if you need help.
Stay safe.
Lucy
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