The global pandemic Covid-19 spread swiftly across the world in spring 2020, and since then nothing has seemed the same again. It came out of nowhere and changed everything in our lives like something from a Hollywood film. Except this was reality.
We soon discovered a new vocabulary of words that previously had meant nothing to us. Words such as ‘lockdown’, ‘furlough’, ‘social distancing’ and ‘self-isolation’ suddenly became terms with high levels of importance.
The UK went into a national lockdown and we all discovered what it was like to work from home, alongside schooling our children, and – just for a while – we lived different lives. The road noise stopped, we noticed garden birds singing, and we discovered another pace of life.
For my toddler, he found a community of neighbours to say hello to, his parents at home with him, and how to make the most of the great outdoors. He discovered where tomatoes come from and how they taste fresh from the vine. Together we listened to the sounds of rain on the roof and found the tracks of different wild animals.
Covid-19 has in so many ways been devastating. Many of us lost loved ones during it, and weren’t able to say a proper goodbye or have a final hug. Suddenly we became acutely aware of the distance between ourselves and others. We will never again take for granted simply enjoying a cup of tea around a friend’s house.
In terms of the way in which we do business, everything has changed. Remember the days before remote working and Zoom meetings? But out of it there has also come some real positives, including people supporting local, ethical and independent suppliers.
What we discovered most of all was that what we missed wasn’t material things but people. Community, well-being services, friendships and seeing our children playing with others.
Many of us don’t want to go back to the way things were. We want to maintain the positives: the quieter roads, the positive environmental impacts, the support for small businesses. Perhaps, what the world needs now, is just a better way to simply.. be.
