Although this period of isolation has been incredibly difficult for a multitude of reasons for so many people across the world, it has also been a period of enlightment for many too. It has made us appreciate the little things we would previously take for granted. It has made us realise how much we need other people in our life- how we thrive when we are surrounded by positive people. But what I think it has made us realise the most is this: life is so unpredictable. Who would’ve thought that on the 31st January as we were welcoming the new year, the start of a new decade, that 2020 would pan out this way? The answer is that no one could’ve imagined it, let alone think that it could actually be our reality for many months. It has shown us how things can change ‘just like that.’ I know that I for one will never look at life the same way again.
I might have had to finish university early. Schools might have shut many months before they were due to. But one thing is for sure, I have learnt a hell of a lot more at home than I would’ve done at university. Whilst not in the conventional sense of being in a classroom with guided learning, we are in fact still learning every single day. Every day we wake up to a new challenge, whether you sense it or not. We might be past the peak of coronavirus now, but we are yet to have a day of deaths below the hundred(s.) The death toll is increasing every single day. Families are loosing their loved ones, friends are loosing their loved ones, every single day.
Through this hardship we have been made stronger- as a nation, as a continent, as a world.
We have learnt:
- We are all one. It doesn’t matter who we love, where we were born, what we believe in. We are all human and in the face of adversity we come together.
- Every job serves a purpose. Cleaners and shop workers who were once criticised as being low-skilled low-paid workers are now branded our ‘heroes.’
- Joy can be found in the most simple of things. We don’t need to be spending money to seek happiness. Spending all this time at home has proven that we have all that we could possibly need. We have a roof over our heads to protect us. We have outdoor space to exercise. We have our minds to be creative. We are too obsessed with the culture of consumerism. This situation has forced us to slow down, and not only will we be better off for it, but so will our planet.
- As touched upon on the previous point, we have learnt that we NEED to devote our all into saving our planet. We have proven that the effects can be reversed if we act soon. Since lockdown began, carbon emissions have depleted by 4%. We have found new ways to work and proven that we don’t need to travel as often. Lets keep that up post lockdown. We owe it to planet earth.
- Finally, we have learnt the value that other people bring to our lives. The saying ‘you don’t know what you have until it’s gone’ is so apt to the current situation. Just like so many other things, we take our loved ones for granted. The massive increase in people using technology to connect with others is proof that to live a fulfilled life we need interaction. So when this is all over and you ‘don’t really feel like going out for that catch up with a friend’, remember what you would give to be able to do that now.
When this whole situation is over, when it is announced on the news that ‘today, there have been no new cases’, we must rememeber all that we have learnt. We must treat each other with more respect. We must practice kindness, to ourselves and to others. And perhaps most importantly, we must live every single day of our lives to the full, for we never know when our ability to do that will be taken away.
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