Who would you like to thank?
Up until recently, I’ve been living in a bit of a bubble. I’ve had the luxury of being able to be at home with my family without the need to really go out and see what’s happening. It wasn’t until we decided to take a walk to our local “high street” that it hit me. That I actually realised the bigger impact of today’s climate.
We were just out walking and it became glaringly obvious how what was normal is now not. We were walking down a road on a Saturday so it should have been bustling with people. Cafes should have been overflowing, local shops buzzing as people do their shopping and families just taking a stroll. Instead, it was deserted. It felt eerie. Most shops were closed. Those that were open had clear markings in line with social distancing. My bubble was burst.
My eyes had been opened. I now could see. And this got me thinking. Thinking about all the individuals who are seemingly still going to ‘work’ but how different it is now.
Clinical National Health Service staff
A hero doesn’t necessarily wear a cape or have their pants on the outside of their trousers. A hero today doesn’t have superpowers but they are saving lives and they know what to do when there is a crisis.
Thousands of staff are keeping the NHS going. Keeping us safe whilst we stay at home. But these women and men are on the frontline. They are doing much more than what they were trained to do. They are under more pressure than they have ever been under. Yet, every day they still get up, leave the safety of their homes and go to work. And this is to keep us safe.
Their work is making a difference. Their work is saving lives.
Teachers and childcare providers
We may be in unusual times, but the world hasn’t stopped spinning. Life still goes on. And I’m grateful for the teachers out there who are helping us to maintain some kind of normal whilst our world is being turned upside down.
My daughter’s school has been amazing. So well organised. We’ve been given home learning. They’ve provided endless resources. But what has been really touching is they haven’t lost sight of the fact that the kids are actually missing their teachers.
My daughter and all her classmates love their teacher and they miss him terribly. We don’t know when this will be over and they may not get to see him again as their teacher, which was making them all really sad. So, when they got a letter from him recently it really made their day. And just the other week he recorded a story for them. This was the best thing. I don’t have to tell you that even I was emotional.
Food providers
Buying food and drink use to be so easy. You’d just pop to the shops. Or pop to a café for coffee and cake. Not anymore. In such a short space of time, the way we buy food has changed drastically. Businesses have had to adapt with lightning speed to accommodate our new way of living so that we can still eat.
It feels like buying food has become purely functional. No browsing. No pondering. No thinking. Just get what is needed and move on. Quite rightly, we have to keep things moving so that everyone gets an opportunity.
There’s no time for chatting at the checkout.
Delivery drivers
So, I hold my hands up and admit that I’ve been ordering quite a bit from the likes of Amazon in the last few weeks. I mean, we’ve got time. But, I’m not buying random stuff, although we may have acquired a unicycle!
But the ritual for receiving packages has become a bit anti-social. Not that I would spend hours chatting with the delivery driver. There’s a clear process that is now followed. Drop and run. However, if I’m lucky sometimes I do get to pose for a picture as proof the package has been delivered. But obviously at a distance.
Volunteers
Lots of people have come forward to volunteer and provide support where needed. Whether that’s providing much required support to the NHS or local community groups. I’m inspired by the sheer number of people who have stepped forward. This just goes to show that if you ask, people will help.
Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to take on my normal volunteering duties, which does upset me. But knowing that others who are out there able to fill the gaps, that have appeared because of what’s happened, brings me comfort.
So, going to work, for now, is different. For some, danger exists where it didn’t before. Some of what we’re doing now has had to become a lot more functional. We’re starting to see who our real heroes are and what really matters.
I would just like to say thank you to everyone who is contributing to this effort. To keeping things going. To maintain some kind of stability, certainty and normal in these unusual times. To everyone who is keeping us safe whilst put their own lives at risk.
Thank you
That’s ‘Who would you like to thank?’ according to Mummy on a Break.
Who would you like to thank?
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