True Colours.

When there is a crisis, whether it’s close to home or more widely spread as in the C-19 pandemic, people’s true colours really start to show. There are those people with the “I have to save myself” attitude, most probably seen at the local supermarket armed with a 100 loo rolls, dry pasta and enough soap for a year, and there are those with the “I have to save others” attitude, who immediately think of their friends, family and community, and offer them help.

Since leaving London a few years ago, I have been lucky enough to find myself in Frome, a small market town that is all about community. We have a huge amount of support groups, a Loneliness Café (for anyone that wants to chat), a Men’s and Women’s Shed (where you can mend things together), a Share shop (where you can swap skills), a community food fridge, drama clubs, art societies, walking groups, choirs, running clubs, communal gardening, litter picking…. You name it, we’ve probably got it.

With Coronavirus galloping across the globe at an extraordinary rate, it is a confusing, worrying and scary time, so to see my amazing neighbours set up a What’s app group to help anyone self-isolating, is brilliant. We already had a group called the GG’s (Goulds Ground is my road), which consisted of 30 or so households sharing news and gossip, pet sitting, childcare, the occasional pot luck supper or party, and anyone needing to borrow something or take a delivery…. But this new group is specifically for Coronavirus concerns and is about 2 dozen of us (so far) willing to offer advice, support, conversation and shopping. 

Of course, I cannot compare living in a small town with an over-populated city, because here it seems so much easier to organise this sort of thing. In cities, many neighbours rarely know each other let alone socialise with them, so maybe this is where it needs to happen more. NOTE: As I’ve been writing this, I’ve already noticed this changing in cities... There are some very creative individuals offering support, starting sing-a-longs in blocks of flats, aerobics classes from rooftops, and even mass bingo from apartment windows. It’s all quite joyful and I think people are realising that human interaction, even from a distance, is how we will get through this. 

Social distancing in the countryside while still getting fresh air, is a piece of cake too compared to flat-dwelling urbanites. Instead of being cooped up in two rooms, we can jump in our cars and at least get out of the house. I am surrounded by green fields and acres of deserted woodland, so going for a walk without bumping into anyone is easy too. I feel so terrible for people that can’t do that. Listening to the BBC World service this morning, I was fascinated to hear all the personal accounts of what it’s like being on lock-down in Milan, Madrid, Seoul and all the other towns and cities across the world. For single people especially, being on their own for extended periods of time is going to be really tough mentally. All they have are their windows for light and fresh air, their TV’s and Radio’s for entertainment and a rare sighting of another human being in the flesh when they have to buy food or get medical supplies. People are going to go stir crazy. So if you do know anyone on their own, touch base with them, leave a note or your phone number if they need a chat, and keep communicating.

A weird silver lining of self-isolation and social distancing is the rate that pollution in cities has dramatically dropped already. Another is that people are reconnecting with old friends and family on the phone and skype (instead of email and text) to fill the time and check in. People are reading more, writing more, finding ways to entertain themselves that’s not just being a couch potato (although I do think we will have a slightly heavier population in the coming months, so maybe it’s time to buy shares in Weight Watchers!)

I really do think people’s true nature is to be kind. We were born with a pack mentality which is in our DNA, to save our loved ones and our fellow human beings. So we can do what we can, as well as supporting the other amazing human beings out there, doing jobs that are more than a little scary right now... the doctors, nurses, scientists, ambulance drivers, police, carers, cleaners, rubbish collectors, delivery people and all the others that work in the service industry. People in Spain have been applauding those people from their windows, at 10pm every night, to show their thanks. What a lovely thing to do.

Keep safe. Keep your distance. Wash your hands.