CURRENT TIMES

How can anyone begin to put into words what is happening to the world at the moment. There is so much uncertainty. Humans love to have control- they created a way to accurately mark and keep record of the passing of time, a concept which is not fundamentally real. And yet. here we are NOT KNOWING. Not knowing when we will next be able to see our friends and family, not knowing if they will all survive this virus. Not knowing when we can next go out and enjoy the company of others. Not knowing when we can next work, next be able to pay our bills. Not knowing if our businesses will go under. Not knowing when our kids can go back to school.

It puts it into perspective that we often feel, as a race, unstoppable; dominating land, environments, other species. We have got to the stage where we believe we know everything and anything is possible..and yet...we are back to the days of The Plague, where we must isolate ourselves and we don't know how to stop the illness that is attacking us. Have we really come so far as a race? It certainly makes you think and puts things into perspective that we are not almighty, all-knowing creatures as we may have got carried away into believing.

Another comparable moment in history is the two World Wars, particularly that of the war effort during the Second World War, of which many of the older, more vulnerable members of society still remember living through. In order for this kind of national effort to be effective though, is the banding together and contribution of EVERYONE. I think there's still an element of people in denial, especially in rural areas, they don't believe that this is happening or that it will effect them, the quote 'stuff and nonsense' comes to mind, a quote originally used in a parliamentary debate, recorded in The Times in 1827, but to me will always be tied with the French and Saunders comedy sketch. It is the British way to Keep Calm and Carry on; one of the sketches included one of the ladies chopping off one of her fingers accidentally and then going on to chop another off on purpose so both dogs have a finger each (wouldn't want them to go to waste!). Keep Calm and Carry On was used on a poster in the lead up to the Second World War, produced by the British government and used as a motto to many ever since. However, the almost laissez-faire attitude seen by many recently isn't entirely the right approach right now. Yes, we should most definitely keep calm but at the same time we must instil enough seriousness and awareness into individuals so that they actually follow government guidelines and advice put in place for our own, and our loved ones, safety. In stark contrast from World War II, the enemy is invisible and comes from within the boundaries and we have the capacity to allow or prevent it to spread- each of us as individuals. What people seem to be unable to understand is our own actions could literally save or kill someone daily.

So we must move to the topic of self-isolation, self-distancing and quarantine. All of these terms have been used an awful lot recently. Some of us can do them, some of us have to do them and some of us are unable to do them. Many cannot afford to self-isolate due to work, for example being self-employed and others have to work to keep the country running. God knows what businesses, even industries will still be standing on the other side of this. How lucky I feel to live on Dartmoor, self isolation for me would include plentiful walks on the moors, spending time with my family and looking after myself. However, like many, I am still working in an office as my employer will not allow me to work remotely and as I type this I am sat behind the till of an outlet store which remains open, as the usual staff, falling into the vulnerable categories, have decided not to work. I wonder how much longer this type of thing can go on for. I am entirely uncomfortable doing these things and yet, what else can I do? I feel so very lucky to have a job during these uncertain times when so many others have lost theirs and yet I feel like I'm putting the people I'm around and my family, particularly my 80+ y/o gran who has a lung condition, at risk. Even indirectly, if I have the virus, everyone else in the house will get the virus and who will deliver food and other essentials to our gran? I fear even touching stuff that we give her at the moment may carry the, for her and many others, fatal virus.

Even though my gran is already experiencing loneliness, at least she has her little dog; Alfie, who she can take out into the field her house backs onto, or drive up the road to the Moors. Every time I speak to her she notes how lucky she, as well as all of us here in Devon, are to live in a rural location. However, the downside of this is that people who live in densely populated urban areas want a piece of the good-life during such a bad time and are deciding to travel to the South West as an 'isolation destination'. The thing is, you can hardly blame them, the prospect of being holed up in a London flat for perhaps a year would be enough to drive anyone out, retreating to the countryside. However, these rural areas, particularly in the South West are more often than not, mostly inhabited by the older generations, where many choose to retire. Coming in from a highly infected area to a village mostly filled with retired folk could cause absolute chaos. The thing is, hospitals and facilities in the South West simply are not equipped for this kind of crisis. The term which has been seen a lot on social media over the past week: 'we not me' comes to mind, we must think how our actions are going to effect anyone and everyone. We are all so important during this pandemic, we all have the power to make a positive difference by simply being wise and following government advice and always thinking of others. Panic buying is an example of doing the opposite of this and it is so severely damaging to those that need these products the most. 

We can only live in hope that this is the adjustment period and people will adapt and become more selfless, as we've already seen through social media, rather than selfish. We also must use hope to keep us going, hope of the future and all the amazing little, normal things which we so often took for granted before. What a party it will be!