Here we go again

It barely seems believable that we find ourselves here again. Lockdown number 3, or 4? Who knows. All I can say is that the disappointment that my children are experiencing now that they can’t go back to school is really painful to watch. Homeschooling restarts tomorrow, and the prospect of juggling supporting my year 1 son and my year 5 daughter with my full-time business is currently stopping me from sleeping.

I take comfort from the fact that I know I am not alone in facing these things. While I wouldn’t wish my lack of sleep on anyone else, I know that I am not the only one trying to navigate yet another confusing and distressing set of circumstances while maintaining a brave face and trying to remember to feed everyone enough fruit and veg to counteract the lack of fresh air and exercise that comes from being locked down.

But from adversity comes opportunity.

And I’m going to actively look for opportunities over the next few weeks and months: opportunities to find moments of joy that in normal times (whatever they used to be) we would overlook. This afternoon I ran from my desk to photograph the sunset. This morning my daughter taught me how to send heart-shaped balloons that float across the screen when we text each other. Yesterday, the sound of her laughter as she spent hours on a zoom call making up dances, and creating plays with her best friends lifted my mood.

We’ve done it before, and we will do it again. Lockdown 2021: we’re ready for you.