I don’t often come on here anymore to write. I am not sure if what I write, and when I write it’s an encouragement. So, if I go through phases of silence it’s simply because I no longer know how to write. Or I feel like I’ve forgotten how to write. My partner encourages me to write. He says I should not allow it to go to waste. I guess he has a point. There is so much to write about. So much to say. But is any of it useful?
Life has changed a lot lately hasn’t it? Drastically changed all over the world for everyone. Some countries more strict than others. But still everyone in the same predicament. Lock-down. United as one. As I walk the street, I wonder every day if everything will go back to normal or if the reality we are living now will become our new normal? The streets are strangely quiet. The streets no longer filled with the hustle and bustle of life. Just this silence with nature’s sounds penetrating into our souls. The beauty of nature blossoming this season, and yet everyone is indoors. Fearing the virus and rightly so. It is this sudden strange respect for life which didn’t seem to be there before.
Some people might have entered this lock-down with great hope. Others might see it as a welcome relief, while others the world has collapsed around them. My partner’s father passed away on the first day of lock-down in South Africa. We were into our third day of the lock-down when we heard the sad news. Feeling helpless because we couldn’t go to be with family. So, we see this period more as a period of mourning. A time of reflection. Thinking about and celebrating life while still being cautious of everything that has been happening around us. I’ve noticed though that there are two types of people, those that stay in touch and those that shy away from grief. It saddens me to see that so many of my partner’s friends have not contacted him to see how he’s doing his father passed away.
I guess when I reflect on my own grief journey after my son died, I discovered who were my true friends and who were not. But I have to admire my partner for how he’s handling it and taking everything in his stride. I can learn from him a thing or two. Another thing I’ve learned during this mourning period, this period of lock-down is leaning more and more onto God’s promises, and knowing that He will fulfil all His purposes for us. God’s never left my side. He has always stood next to me, and in Him I place my trust. Hallelujah.
What is this lock-down teaching us? Is it teaching us a lot of ourselves and the society that we live in? Is it teaching us to reflect more on our actions? I wonder where it will all lead and if it will lead us far. Who knows?
God is good. Peace be with you.
butterfliesreleased 
I know this may sound facetious (it isn’t really) – we could try calling this ‘the new Norman’.
Enjoy being able to hear birds sing instead of cars rushing past. In fact having far less traffic around has done wonders for air quality – good one for those with pollution-worsened breathing problems.
Meanwhile – as you so rightly say – dive into God & use this time to learn to trust Him more.
And pray that all those who are now regarded, and clapped every Thursday, as Key Workers, will be similarly valued afterwards. Particularly as so many of them are generally disregarded, undervalued and on minimum wages. One thing we now know is that we NEED cleaners, bin emptiers, shop workers, delivery drivers et al, as well as the nurses and doctors.
Also that those responsible for collecting debts owed by Developing Countries worldwide, will take a compassionate attitude and at very least suspend repayments, if not cancel the appalling interest rates they are charging. Or even cancel the debts all together – as in the Millennial Jubilee Campaign. Too many people in Developing countries have it far worse _all_ the time than we have in this ‘new Norman’, particularly the poorest.
Most of all, pray that once this pandemic is over Those In Charge – politically and financially (banks, big businesses, etc) have learned and act more justly; rather than rushing headlong to ‘restore’ everything to the unjust, unfair, non-compassionate and money-ruled systems that so profited them before.
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