27 April 2020 - 31 Days...

31 Days          Fiona Hewerdine

What a blessing this time has been.
I feel that we have been gifted the opportunity to stay still and remember what really matters .
The zoom ,hustle-bustle commitments of life sucks into a busy vortex... 
it can be happy and fun thoughtful and fit but it sucks you in.
I have spoken to so many people who said this time is a revival of love .
we are not so much in a lockdown 
as in a pause and breathe 
I feel that we've had time to feel 
the present,
to note our bodies ,
our senses feeling the carpet under our feet 
to watch the light through the trees 
see autumn dance on the vine leaves 
We've collected and squeeze oranges 
made avocado mousse ,
looked up recipes and baked. 
we've remembered that flour can be important in our cooking routines .
when it runs out you notice 
I've delighted to watch dad's on bikes with kids I've even bike to work and back not risking life and limb competing with a twin axles
children's laughter and chatter is audible now the traffic noise is light 
the birds can make a cheerful row and not just at dawn because the background drone is missing 
I stalked the chickens just for fun the other day Hubbie and I chainsawed a thrown out of leftover logs.
I'm thinking a little grandchild's bottom may sit on it soon. 
I asked my dad how it compared to the war this Lockdown.... 
He spoke of no rations being available to service the ration books.
and the forever impending sense and fear of loss.
But he also spoke of the kindness of people, the intentional acts of community,
GPs delivering goody boxes, unexpected Easter bunnies hatching things on the doorstep, 
volunteers dropping off pharmacy prescriptions how cool
ingenuity ; kids walking to find new window ledges with bears upon them .
The health service in New Zealand have done us proud, like the Anzacs that we remember this weekend
Drive-thrus keeping staff from probable patient safe and informed.
how often is it that your boss offers to do a food drop when you can't leave the boundary of your property

So for me this time of global pandemic has shown light in dark places here in New Zealand,
Treasures of kindness ,care and compassion.
I hope that on day 32 we remember all that we have seen and have been gifted
And take it with us as we work out and find a New Normal.