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The Little Stroll

I had finished messing around in the garden and sending silly pictures to the grandchildren when I realised I was out of bread and milk. For my daily exercise I decided to walk to the shop which is about a mile from my house. As well as supplies I needed to send a birthday card to my brother and little niece.

I wrapped up warmly and set off obeying all the rules about social distancing.

The first thing that struck me as I headed off was the birdsong. I witnessed little birds in hedges (don?t know what they were!) and beautiful blackbirds on branches.  Little wagtails were bobbing about on the boulders in the middle of the river. This was the same river that only a few weeks ago was brown and full of rubbish after the floods.  Now I could see the bottom as the water was so clear! The difference was amazing.

I was walking along usually busy streets but only saw a handful of people and a couple of cars.  Once I reached the shop, everyone was considerate of their boundaries and were polite and courteous. The shopkeeper was even giving out free packets of paracetamol to each customer to keep in the medicine cabinet -?just in case?!  

On my return journey I noticed many houses had decorated their windows in support of our  wonderful NHS. Parents have been encouraging their children to do this and I think it is such an uplifting thing to do.  Children will learn from a young age to support and appreciate our health service that may last a lifetime. 

I am lucky, I have company at home but I really miss my family and friends. I have been busy learning new skills, being able to facetime is great. I must remember to comb my hair and not lean in too close to the screen – not a good look!  

I was looking forward to a ?milestone? birthday celebration later on this month but I am confident that we will have a massive double celebration in (hopefully) the not too distant future. Cancelled weddings, birthday celebrations and holidays are disappointing but these will be something to appreciate even more when they happen.

My little stroll cleared my head, and made me think. Not the usual frenzied ?I must do this then I have to do that? sort of thought but the sort of thought that enables you to look at what is important. Noticing the really good stuff that is happening instead of focussing on the negative.

The sense of community, people volunteering to deliver food parcels, phone the lonely and isolated is one great thing to come out of these strange times we are living in. Wouldn?t it be wonderful if this spirit of kindness extended way beyond the current situation? I am very hopeful that this will happen.

By Jane Thomas

Volunteer Support Officer

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