The news has nothing positive to tell us at the moment; unless we consider death, destruction and an end to all the things we once deemed normal, as a progressive moment in time. Survival is about resilience, blind optimism, and the smallest of things.
"Under the current circumstances, its hard to feel positive about anything - and over 65% of Brits have reported just such feelings."
A Boris Bike Is Not A Good Thing
We can't do anything to change the news cycle. In fact, shortly, the Prime Minister is going to tell us there isn't much we're allowed to do at at all. Restrictions put into place to help control the tide of Covid 19 infections that have swept through the world since the beginning of 2020, are set to tighten again this evening, just as the nights grow colder, and the winter draws in. Under the current circumstances, its hard to feel positive about anything - and over 65% of Brits have reported just such feelings. An anxiety about the uncertainty of the future, a sense of doom and hopelessness, a darkness hovering over us, that we're struggling to outrun. These are bad feelings. Ones that too many of us have been living inside of; me included.
The Covid Cloud
Lately, I've been under a cloud. Partly Covid-related, and partly there-are-some-really-bad-people-out-there-who-deliberately-want-to-hurt-you-related. My cloud has been thunderous. Big and black and overwhelming, threatening to rain on me at all hours of the day and night, then making good on its promise, just to prove it can. But this cloud has edges, and last week, just beyond it, I saw some light. Whilst the rain hasn't exactly stopped, I'm realising that like any good hipster, I have an oversized trenchcoat and some nostalgic 90s trainers to help me out manoeuvre it.
"Its the small things you can count on, when the big things let you down."
All The Small Things
Because its the small things you can count on, when the big things let you down. The beauty in the moment your child says something positive about their Covid experience - like the fact they get to spend more time with you. Or the organising of That Kitchen Drawer; so every time you're on the hunt for rubber bands or parking permits, you can find them, without wading through All That Pointless Crap You Know You Should Have Thrown Out Years Ago. And somehow, that feeling is a seriously inflated sense of pride in your own Domestic Goddess-ery. No? Just me then...
"Any moment where life feels ordinary again - can be a moment of joy."
A Significant Win
The News Cycle, or the Boris Bike Of Doom as I like to think of it, is unrelentingly bad. Rising infections, hospitalisations and death rates. The flu edging in, adding fuel to an already out of control fire. Cancer treatments being delayed. Not being able to see my mum. But I'm trying to rediscover the joy in the small things. Framing a picture, reading a book, the moment your feet slide into your slippers, when you get home from a cold rainy walk. I'm marvelling at my incredible (if sometimes annoying) kids, and how I haven't threatened to rip The Husband's head off, which is a Significant Win given the challenges we've faced over the past few months. I'm trying to focus on the things I can control, and not on the Boris Bike Of Doom, that I can't. Because there are small wins in every single day. In the moments of joy we sometimes fail to acknowledge. Because any measure of time, where we feel anything other than frightened, anxious, uncertain, hopeless - is a Significant Win right now. Every time we laugh, or smile, or marvel at something we've achieved, however small that achievement may be, any moment where life feels ordinary again - can be a moment of joy. Whether thats the first sip of a really good cup of tea, or watching an episode of something you know is likely to lower your IQ by at least 15 points - you can take comfort in something that seems smaller than it really is.
Bigger Is Not Better
And as a woman of 4ft 11inches, I can guarantee, that bigger, is categorically not better. Particularly, when it comes to a Boris Bike.