What will the Legacies of Coronavirus be? I'm hopeful...

Spring - a time of new life

We are of course going through a major crisis right now. Wherever you live in the world, the new Covid-19 coronavirus will be having an impact on you. We are forever hearing people tell us this situation is unprecedented and of course that is because it is. The last time there was anything that impacted the world in these kinds of ways, it was the second world war.

I don't think any of us would have wanted this situation to happen, but now it has, I am wondering about what the legacies will be that come from this time when most of the world locked down and stopped their citizens freely roaming the streets.

History has shown us that things change after times of crisis, we can thank Boots (the Chemist) during the great depression for the introduction of the two-day weekend, and of course, women working in factories and taking over roles traditionally held by men during WWII, continued long after the war had ended.

Each day I avidly watch the news to see what the current status is, how many more lives have been lost to this awful virus and what other hardships are emerging as we isolate more and more. Despite the economic difficulties and the loss of lives, I can't help looking to the flip side and hoping there will be positives for the future. I pray that in the long-term we will be seeing a lot of good coming from this time too.

I pray that whenever we move forward and are able to freely move again, and the UK starts to establish it's new normal, that there are positive changes that stick around, as some really good habits have developed during this time.

What if the new normal looked like this?

• Parents who interact more with their children face-to-face than with their phone/ laptop/ work
• A slower pace of life for the whole family, less structured clubs and more time to dream, make-believe and play
• That families function as a unit and not a collective of individuals - talking, playing, spending time together
• That every family has a better work/ life balance with more emphasis on home and family and less on work as an indicator of status
• More dads stay home with their kids whilst their wives work, and that is through the choice of both partners
• Many companies will recognise the legitimacy of working from home and extend the offer to more staff
• That people continue to get outdoors every day and enjoy exercise or walking as a family
• That we eat less fast food and really savour making and eating a home-cooked meal, with none to little waste, as we know the value of food
• We shop less often and buy things when we need them, not because we are bored or trying to earn the respect of ourselves or others
• That instant gratification won't be the norm any longer, that people can once again savour the need to wait, to work for something, to save
• Neighbours who talk to each other and look out for each other
• Regular calls or video calls to our loved ones and particularly elderly relatives who don't live on our doorsteps
• Schools that realise that academic achievement/ exams are not everything, that the whole child approach is much more important
• We all wash our hands more frequently and pay better attention to hygiene practices
• Less needless journeys get taken, meaning less congestion on the roads and air travel reduces to continue to help with a reduction in harmful emissions
• People valuing the jobs done by minimum wage workers like shop workers, healthcare assistants and refuse collectors
• That we all say thank you more often to those who serve us in whatever way
• That we adopt an attitude of gratitude and remember to really enjoy the little things
• More people recognise the value of volunteering and helping others, just because it feels good and its the right thing to do
• That our NHS health service will depart this time stronger and with more resources for the future
• With a strong patriotic sense, that we pulled together as a nation and pulled something massive off

Rainbow over the Prayer Centre at my home

I haven't been stressing during this time, my overwhelming feeling is of peace and hope for the future. Hope that things can be better and that there will be positive changes. I'm not burying my head in the sand and I'm not meaning to sound callous, I realise some people will lose their livelihoods and loved ones and for that, I am immensely sorry and sad on your behalf (or mine, it could happen to me too). It's just different for me as a Christian, as I have a belief in God which goes before all else and gives me that reason to get up in the morning and serve as best I can.

I particularly haven't been worrying about how much schooling the kids are doing, as my overarching desire during this time is that we all enjoy being together and the question I keep asking myself is, what do I want them to remember about the Spring/ Summer of 2020 in twenty years time?

I want them to remember family walks, great fun playing board games, silly football with mum, creating and crafting, cooking delicious meals together and baking. Talking and getting to know each other even better, taking our relationships to a deeper level. I want them to remember peace, calm and love amidst a world of uncertainty and unrest.

There will still be weeks of this lockdown left and who knows, it may even tighten up and we can't even go out for exercise anymore, but still, I'll keep praying for the rainbow that will come after the darkest storm.

Let me know your prayer requests friends, as I'd love to uphold you in prayer at this time.

Be blessed, Mich x

I'm linking this post up with Reasons to be Cheerful over at Lakes Single Mum as for me, the hope for the future is certainly a reason to smile and be cheerful.

And if you want some extra reading on this same topic check out this great post from Jess at Tantrums to Smiles on what she wants to do once this pandemic is over.

Why not pin this post for later?