Which, it occurred to me, is a good example of missing the silver lining because I was expecting gold. So I dutifully clicked on the Maurice Setter*s* Wikipedia entry, and discovered that he played for Exeter City, West Bromwich Albion, Manchester United, Stoke City, Coventry City and Charlton Athletic.
Moving swiftly on...
At this stage in the corona virus lockdown, I am sure that the "gold" we are all hoping for and expecting is that the death rate from this awful virus will decrease, that an effective vaccine will be found, that the pressure on the dedicated staff of the NHS will ease, and that the lockdown will be lifted.
So it was hard to watch the evening news last night, and to see that the daily death rate had gone back up, and that the lockdown is to be extended for another three weeks. My heart goes out to all the people whose loved ones have died during this time. Knowing that they will have died alone, with no friends or family close to them. And, that deprivation will stay with the survivors for a very long time, even though it was not their fault, and they could not have done anything more than they had already done.
How to even look for a silver lining in the face of such grief? To say, "it could have been worse" could (quite rightly) be taken as crass insensitivity by those who are grieving.
But I have tried very hard to find the silver lining of being in lockdown. I am fortunate in being a natural introvert, so being at home, with just my husband, son and cat for company, has not been too much of a hardship. I think I would have found it harder to deal with if I had been living alone. As it is, I have had much more time to follow my hobbies: cross-stitch, crochet, writing and reading. My weekly piano lesson has been delivered via Face Time, and it has worked very satisfactorily.
Although I am still working, I am not travelling to do so, and that has opened up many free hours.
And the weather has been glorious. Again, I count myself so very fortunate to live in the countryside, able to walk around the fields, or up into the forest. And to watch Spring unfold before my wondering eyes. An annual miracle, which this year I have had the time to observe more closely. Another silver lining - I would not have taken so many walks, in the ordinary course of things.
I have noticed a change in the people we have met (at the safe 2 meter distance) on these walks. Everyone has greeted us, and people we know have stopped to chat. The amount of benevolent interest by neighbours seems to have gone through the roof. I have read many examples of this on Facebook, and our next door neighbour, who is a postman, and hence out every day, has offered to get us anything we need in between our own shopping expeditions. So kind.
I think the main silver lining for me has been that this has happened *now*, when there are so many different ways of keeping in touch - not only by phone or letter, but also by e-mail, Facebook, Face Time, Skype and Zoom. I had never even heard of Zoom before the corona virus, but have now taken part in several Zoom meetings. And my colleagues and I have managed to keep in touch with our congregations / Districts by sharing online services in various formats and sending round news e-mails in between, and doing pastoral "visits" by phone. Of course it's not the same, could never be the same, as face-to-face, hug-to-hug, direct interaction with our loved ones and our beloved communities. But it has been something.
I am afraid that the long-term fall-out from the corona virus will be both difficult and complex to deal with. Not only the effect on people who have lost loved ones, although that of course is the worst, but also the number of jobs lost, companies closing down, will lead to great changes in our economy. Not to mention the emotional and psychological effects that being in lockdown, being isolated, has had on too many people.
And we will need all the kindness, all the compassion, that we have shown to each other during this time, to work together towards a better, more compassionate society. Rather than reverting to our old ways. Because the shocking truth is, that although humankind has suffered greatly during these weeks and months, the rest of creation has thriven. Seas and rivers are less polluted, the air is cleaner, and the knock-on effects of those benefits on the natural world has been widespread. We will need to build on this silver lining, "when it is all over", rather than going back to our old, polluting ways.
If you have found a silver lining in these weeks, please share them...
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