“Stories never really end… even if the books like to pretend they do. Stories always go on. They don’t end on the last page, anymore that they begin on the first page.”  Cornelia Funke, author or Inkheart

For us, it was a crisp autumn day. You know. The ones that are chilly to start but the sun shimmers through the dappled rainbow of leaves paused to fall. Little did we know that the world we knew, was disappearing.

International news had touched on it. We hadn’t listened. It was so far away. It didn’t affect us. Empathy had yet to settle on our shoulders – it would soon enough with a weight that would, on occasions, be crushing. Who would have thought we would be encountering the maze of living through an emerging pandemic that is spreading rapidly across the world? We have not seen the likes of this since the Spanish Flu back in 1918. As we begin to face these unprecedented and unsettling struggles, we begin looking for wisdom from the past.

Some predicted it. Movies and books alluded to it. Within the space of a month, the world has significantly changed. This virus has already crashed economies, filled hospitals and emptied public spaces. It has separated people from their workplaces, friends and loved ones. We are witnessing a disruption to modern society on a scale rarely witnessed. Panic mass buying has left almost all supermarket aisles bare. This pandemic is etching itself upon the world’s psyche.

“Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor.” Thich Nhat Hanh

At times such as these, it can be difficult to remain calm and focused. It’s easy to get caught up in fearful or worried thinking about what might happen. Fear is a primal response. It is essential for our survival as it heightens our senses and helps to protect us. Unfortunately fear and isolation can lead to overthinking. When these take over our minds, we can easily become anxious. Learning to accept that fear exists then letting it go can be our driving force forward. We need to remember to be kind to ourselves as we face these new and daunting fears.

Humour is the antidote. It’s hard to be terrified when you have a broad grin on your face. Social media has aided with this. The growing number of memes and parody songs about what we are facing helps to lighten the weight I feel. It reminds me I can laugh facing uncertainty and adversity.

Sometimes it’s the smallest decisions that can change your mindset. Instead of grieving the life we knew a mere few weeks ago, I choose to look forward. I am looking forward to a life where we could greet friends at a café. A life where we can once again shake hands and hug. A life where I can embrace every member of my family. A life without the fear of catching a virus consuming the world.

“Often when you think you’re at the end of something, you’re at the beginning of something else.” Fred Rogers

This virus is changing our current landscape. We are learning the importance of co-operation, communication, compassion and resilience. While social distancing prevents us from physically seeing people, we need to think beyond the present. We are reshaping our communities as we face extraordinary times. Flexibility is at the heart of the possibilities ahead. We cannot go back to the way things were.

“Frodo: I wish none of this had happened. Gandalf: So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”  The Lord of the Rings, pub 1954, JRR Tolkien

Patterns of production, distribution and consumption will change. Innovative technologies that have allowed some to work from home, will further develop and transform our physical workspaces. I certainly do not think that we can uninvent online remote teaching for example. Transportation networks may also change, just as drone technology delivering supplies may become the norm. Perhaps we are moving into the age of Robotics and Artificial Intelligence quicker than expected. It is all up in the air at the moment and I am finding it all very exciting. What we can probably say right now is that technological advances will continue to change the way we work, live and play in ways we cannot yet foresee.

Nobody could have predicted what the first few months of this year would bring, and nobody can predict what the next few. For now, what we need to do is be mindful of the time we have been gifted from social distancing.

“Even the darkest night will end and the sun will rise.”  Les Misérables, pub 1862, Victor Hugo

While we face huge challenges, physically, mentally, emotionally, socially, and financially, challenges that are unprecedented in our lifetime, they will not last forever. So, on another crisp morning, as I observe the constantly changing rainbowed leaves dance their autumnal frolic down to the ground, I pause. Change is inevitable. I cannot control it. I focus instead on how we will re-emerge like butterflies from a chrysalis.

I thank all our essential services for their extraordinary additional work and commitment to our communities during these unprecedented times. Please stay healthy and safe.