When faced with the kind of wolf we may not necessarily be able to keep from the door, it falls to us as Mistress of the house not to panic before it is quite clear that panic is necessary.
While precautionary measures may well be an order, sending oneself into a hurricane of anxiety long before there are Corona Virus addled zombies walking the streets, and rushing out to buy preposterous amounts of loo roll, face masks. Pot Noodles (!) and anti-bacterial hand-wash in a greedy grab rarely seem among the civilised, strikes me as extremely likely to cause more problems than it solves, adding to the kind of hysteria that will render one’s head so noisy there will simply be no room for common sense to prevail. And it is ONLY common sense that stands between us and the panic-fuelled Armageddon we will deeply regret having wished upon ourselves.
Yesterday, somewhere on the interwebs I saw a plea for us all to politicise this virus. To think not about ourselves, nor about life within our own four walls, but to rise up politically and demand change! And take action! And shout it from the rooftops that we are going to die and SOMEONE (who?) needs to do something about it NOW! To rally supermarkets and schools and petrol stations to save us! To treat each other with suspicion. To blame Boris and Trump and the whole of China. And probably Iran. And maybe Italy? And possibly the Chinese chippy on the high street and the kid from who knows where in your daughter’s class! To blame them all and rage against them for rage it seems is the only answer!
And something inside of me went quiet. Still. While I tried to tune in to where I stood in the midst of these kind of demands. How it would be possible for me to add my voice to this debate without contributing to the suspicious hysteria written between the lines. But there were no easy answers.
Because a pandemic strikes me not as political, but as human. And the human response has to be a meeting of minds, and trust in those with real power to solve the most immediate of issues, but not being quick to allocate blame, create the most insular of immediate boundaries nor advocate the kind of demented hoarding designed to pit us against each other which all seems uniquely self-defeating when in reality, common sense tells me that the answer as always lies not beyond our own four walls but within them.
*In creating the Caution Closet so wisely predicted as probably necessary in changing times, by Sarah Ban Breathnach, but not hoarding manically at the expense of others.
*In teaching and practising the art of hand-washing not just in times of crisis, but always and whenever and ALWAYS.
*In not adding to the kind of hysterical rhetoric that instils real fear in those who are little or anxious.
*In encouraging a simple common sense approach to the containment of virus: staying home instead of going to work, avoiding gatherings of any kind, large or small, when there is a family member suffering anything even remotely resembling infection, and keeping children with the merest hint of a temperature at home, (Particularly, as the number of parents willing to sacrifice the spread of illness for the sake of a perfect attendance record never ceases to outrage me. Ye Gads.).
*In practising good housekeeping. Understanding the power of simple soap and hot water and its ability to keep disease at bay. In NOT scrubbing the house to within an inch of its life with toxic chemicals but instead creating the kind of routines that mean any virus daring to show its face inside your house is quickly met with simple and persistent good hygiene practises.
*In making allowances for inconvenience. For the doctor’s surgery needing to close for a deep clean and your children’s school insisting on the self-isolation of those who may be at risk. In the postponement of social and sports events, and the palava of having to re-think travel arrangements. In understanding why some things simply have to be, and enduring them without complaint.
*In minimising our own exposure to trashy news sources (I’m talking to YOU, Facebook!) and dealing not in propaganda, hysteria or the commercialisation of a virus people are dying from.
*And finally in placing trust in those working so incredibly hard to minimise the impact of the virus on us all. In not politicising, nor dramatising that which requires practical and affirmative action and preventative measure. And in finding faith in our God, the universe, science and the medical profession.
As always, the answer to me, is home.
Go home and love your family. I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.
Mother Teresa
While Doomsday is far from inevitable, should the situation escalate before it can be contained, then home will be all we have. It may for a short while be the the only source of refuge, sanity and entertainment we can safely have access to, and there is nothing mean-spirited, nor unintelligent in focusing our efforts on making sure that should that day come, we are prepared for something we have to choose to see, for all our children’s sakes, as the adventure, and the lesson, of a lifetime.
If needs be then,stay home and love your family. Cast your stone and believe everything is going to be OK. Because as sure as eggs are eggs, it will be.
Create your own Brocante Life Book, plan Christmas, set up routines and rituals or live life the BrocanteHome way with my guided workbooks and planners.
Unless we are very, very lucky indeed, life occasionally has an element of repetition. In fact let’s go completely nuts and admit that there are times when living through Groundhog day would offer more variety than the endless whirl of laundry, school…
I keep waking up with my arms folded across my chest, like a stern, disappointed headmistress and for a moment I forget that the world is standing on its head and wonder how many more minutes I can steal in bed before…
Life is ludicrously noisy. If it isn’t the television blurring, it is the kids nattering, the phone ringing or the neighbours lawnmower chugging. We are surrounded by noise. Non-stop relentless clatter infiltrating our minds and leaving us without a peaceful place to…
I knew this girl once. She bought a dining room table and chair set, and she was that proud of it, she didn’t take the plastic it came in, off. If you went for dinner, you had to sit squirming uncomfortably on…
(This is a vintage BrocanteHome post, refreshed and revived for seasonal inspiration). Now that the clocks have gone back I am ready to truly embrace the season ahead. To recognise that in just a few short weeks Winter will arrive and so…
When the house becomes the extent of your world, however temporary it may be, it is terribly easy to narrow your focus to the minutiae of domesticity. To become obsessed with perfecting the smallest of things and in the process to quite…
7 Comments
Sound advice Alison and what I would have said myself. This is not the time for scaremongering, this is the time to be sensible, and make sure that our own households are in order and our hygiene practices are running seamlessly. It is time to listen to government advice whether we agree with those in power at other times or not. It is time to love our family members and make sure that our children do not become panicked and to make sure our elderly are well cared for and protected as best we can. It is time to understand that being selfish and emptying store shelves is not the answer, there should be plenty for everyone, if people would not succumb to greed and fear. If we are advised to stay home and away from school, sporting events, concerts and the like or even just visiting friends, then we should heed the advise and stay home. Life is precious, and we must do all we can to stay calm, and not add to the difficult situation that all governments of the world and people of the world are facing right now. Avoid silly news sites, avoid all the conspiracy theories out there and stay informed through the official sources. In other words keep calm and carry on.
I am trying to understand why my sons school is STILL intending to take a party of children skiing in Northern Italy ( via Milan airport) in the easter holidays, just before the GCSEs start in May! Oh yes, it’s because the travel insurance won’t pay up until the FCO advises against ALL travel to Italy, not just 11 specific villages….
Love, love, love!!! Thank you for standing on the side of sanity. Stress lowers the immune system but peace and love strengthens it. Praying for answers in the medical field and common sense from the rest of us!
The fact that people need to be reminded at all to wash their hands/cover up when coughing or sneezing baffles me. Were they not brought up like I was? My late mother was a nurse so perhaps personal hygiene was something drilled into my brother and I more than is usual, Thank goodness I work from home. I feel for those are can’t. I’m sure the London Underground hasn’t been cleaned since 1897 ……. now there’s a Spring cleaning project for you! Stay safe and well.
{"id":null,"mode":"form","open_style":"in_place","currency_code":"USD","currency_symbol":"$","currency_type":"decimal","blank_flag_url":"https:\/\/brocantehome.net\/wp-content\/plugins\/tip-jar-wp\/\/assets\/images\/flags\/blank.gif","flag_sprite_url":"https:\/\/brocantehome.net\/wp-content\/plugins\/tip-jar-wp\/\/assets\/images\/flags\/flags.png","default_amount":300,"top_media_type":"featured_image","featured_image_url":"http:\/\/brocantehome.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/tipjar-2.png","featured_embed":"","header_media":null,"file_download_attachment_data":null,"recurring_options_enabled":true,"recurring_options":{"never":{"selected":true,"after_output":"One time only"},"weekly":{"selected":false,"after_output":"Every week"},"monthly":{"selected":false,"after_output":"Every month"},"yearly":{"selected":false,"after_output":"Every year"}},"strings":{"current_user_email":"","current_user_name":"","link_text":"Leave a tip","complete_payment_button_error_text":"Check info and try again","payment_verb":"Pay","payment_request_label":"BrocanteHome","form_has_an_error":"Please check and fix the errors above","general_server_error":"Something isn't working right at the moment. Please try again.","form_title":"BrocanteHome","form_subtitle":"Help Me to Keep BrocanteHome Online","currency_search_text":"Country or Currency here","other_payment_option":"Other payment option","manage_payments_button_text":"Manage your payments","thank_you_message":"Thank you so much: helping me keep Brocantehome online really means the world to me.","payment_confirmation_title":"BrocanteHome","receipt_title":"Your Receipt","print_receipt":"Print Receipt","email_receipt":"Email Receipt","email_receipt_sending":"Sending receipt...","email_receipt_success":"Email receipt successfully sent","email_receipt_failed":"Email receipt failed to send. Please try again.","receipt_payee":"Paid to","receipt_statement_descriptor":"This will show up on your statement as","receipt_date":"Date","receipt_transaction_id":"Transaction ID","receipt_transaction_amount":"Amount","refund_payer":"Refund from","login":"Log in to manage your payments","manage_payments":"Manage Payments","transactions_title":"Your Transactions","transaction_title":"Transaction Receipt","transaction_period":"Plan Period","arrangements_title":"Your Plans","arrangement_title":"Manage Plan","arrangement_details":"Plan Details","arrangement_id_title":"Plan ID","arrangement_payment_method_title":"Payment Method","arrangement_amount_title":"Plan Amount","arrangement_renewal_title":"Next renewal date","arrangement_action_cancel":"Cancel Plan","arrangement_action_cant_cancel":"Cancelling is currently not available.","arrangement_action_cancel_double":"Are you sure you'd like to cancel?","arrangement_cancelling":"Cancelling Plan...","arrangement_cancelled":"Plan Cancelled","arrangement_failed_to_cancel":"Failed to cancel plan","back_to_plans":"\u2190 Back to Plans","update_payment_method_verb":"Update","sca_auth_description":"Your have a pending renewal payment which requires authorization.","sca_auth_verb":"Authorize renewal payment","sca_authing_verb":"Authorizing payment","sca_authed_verb":"Payment successfully authorized!","sca_auth_failed":"Unable to authorize! Please try again.","login_button_text":"Log in","login_form_has_an_error":"Please check and fix the errors above","uppercase_search":"Search","lowercase_search":"search","uppercase_page":"Page","lowercase_page":"page","uppercase_items":"Items","lowercase_items":"items","uppercase_per":"Per","lowercase_per":"per","uppercase_of":"Of","lowercase_of":"of","back":"Back to plans","zip_code_placeholder":"Zip\/Postal Code","download_file_button_text":"Download File","input_field_instructions":{"tip_amount":{"placeholder_text":"How much would you like to tip?","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"How much would you like to tip? Choose any currency."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"How much would you like to tip? Choose any currency."},"invalid_curency":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Please choose a valid currency."}},"recurring":{"placeholder_text":"Recurring","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"How often would you like to give this?"},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"How often would you like to give this?"},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"How often would you like to give this?"}},"name":{"placeholder_text":"Name on Credit Card","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter the name on your card."},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Enter the name on your card."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Please enter the name on your card."}},"privacy_policy":{"terms_title":"Terms and conditions","terms_body":null,"terms_show_text":"View Terms","terms_hide_text":"Hide Terms","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"I agree to the terms."},"unchecked":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Please agree to the terms."},"checked":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"I agree to the terms."}},"email":{"placeholder_text":"Your email address","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter your email address"},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Enter your email address"},"blank":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Enter your email address"},"not_an_email_address":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Make sure you have entered a valid email address"}},"note_with_tip":{"placeholder_text":"Your note here...","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Attach a note to your tip (optional)"},"empty":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Attach a note to your tip (optional)"},"not_empty_initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Attach a note to your tip (optional)"},"saving":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Saving note..."},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Note successfully saved!"},"error":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Unable to save note note at this time. Please try again."}},"email_for_login_code":{"placeholder_text":"Your email address","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter your email to log in."},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Enter your email to log in."},"blank":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Enter your email to log in."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Enter your email to log in."}},"login_code":{"initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Check your email and enter the login code."},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Check your email and enter the login code."},"blank":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Check your email and enter the login code."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Check your email and enter the login code."}},"stripe_all_in_one":{"initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter your credit card details here."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Enter your credit card details here."},"success":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter your credit card details here."},"invalid_number":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card number is not a valid credit card number."},"invalid_expiry_month":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's expiration month is invalid."},"invalid_expiry_year":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's expiration year is invalid."},"invalid_cvc":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's security code is invalid."},"incorrect_number":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card number is incorrect."},"incomplete_number":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card number is incomplete."},"incomplete_cvc":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's security code is incomplete."},"incomplete_expiry":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's expiration date is incomplete."},"incomplete_zip":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's zip code is incomplete."},"expired_card":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card has expired."},"incorrect_cvc":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's security code is incorrect."},"incorrect_zip":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's zip code failed validation."},"invalid_expiry_year_past":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's expiration year is in the past"},"card_declined":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card was declined."},"missing":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"There is no card on a customer that is being charged."},"processing_error":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"An error occurred while processing the card."},"invalid_request_error":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Unable to process this payment, please try again or use alternative method."},"invalid_sofort_country":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The billing country is not accepted by SOFORT. Please try another country."}}}},"fetched_oembed_html":false}
Sound advice Alison and what I would have said myself. This is not the time for scaremongering, this is the time to be sensible, and make sure that our own households are in order and our hygiene practices are running seamlessly. It is time to listen to government advice whether we agree with those in power at other times or not. It is time to love our family members and make sure that our children do not become panicked and to make sure our elderly are well cared for and protected as best we can. It is time to understand that being selfish and emptying store shelves is not the answer, there should be plenty for everyone, if people would not succumb to greed and fear. If we are advised to stay home and away from school, sporting events, concerts and the like or even just visiting friends, then we should heed the advise and stay home. Life is precious, and we must do all we can to stay calm, and not add to the difficult situation that all governments of the world and people of the world are facing right now. Avoid silly news sites, avoid all the conspiracy theories out there and stay informed through the official sources. In other words keep calm and carry on.
Well done Alison and thank you.
I am trying to understand why my sons school is STILL intending to take a party of children skiing in Northern Italy ( via Milan airport) in the easter holidays, just before the GCSEs start in May! Oh yes, it’s because the travel insurance won’t pay up until the FCO advises against ALL travel to Italy, not just 11 specific villages….
Surely they have changed their minds by now Gill??x
Love, love, love!!! Thank you for standing on the side of sanity. Stress lowers the immune system but peace and love strengthens it. Praying for answers in the medical field and common sense from the rest of us!
Well said!
The fact that people need to be reminded at all to wash their hands/cover up when coughing or sneezing baffles me. Were they not brought up like I was? My late mother was a nurse so perhaps personal hygiene was something drilled into my brother and I more than is usual, Thank goodness I work from home. I feel for those are can’t. I’m sure the London Underground hasn’t been cleaned since 1897 ……. now there’s a Spring cleaning project for you!
Stay safe and well.