Thinking of Mum!

This is the first Mother's Day since I lost my Mum last year, and what a difficult time it is to celebrate for everyone else. We have all been told to socially distance from family and friends and especially avoid going to visit our Mothers at this time. The process of spending even a few moments with anyone close has been banned and frowned upon and as much as we would love to see our parents, we all know it could be the catalyst that brings about their untimely death.

Once again I have been following Government guidelines today and spending time alone at home, with just the television, internet and cats to keep me company. I have had a lot of time to think and remember Mum today, which has been the only upside to this ghastly virus and it makes me realise just how lucky I was to have been brought up by such an inspirational lady. Had Mum been alive today she would have been stoical in the face of adversity and wouldn't have let Coronavirus get her down. I most certainly have a lot to learn from my Mother and am already finding the social distancing hard. As a person, I am social in every respect, so not being able to physically touch or talk to someone is a real burden I am trying to overcome.

Today I have spoken to many people I haven't seen in months and that is helping me to adjust to this new normal. I spoke to Darrell on the phone earlier as well, rather briefly I have to say. I told him to give up smoking, which could be a factor in just how bad one gets this virus. That is a conversation that didn't end well. Darell has never given up cigarettes, even after suffering two lung collapses, so it is doubtful he will now. I can only try to push him into doing the right thing, I can't force him, especially as he lives over ten thousand miles away in Australia.

Usually after the loss of a loved one on celebratory occasions, you can feel very much alone, unable to see your Mother in the flesh, but however, this year I am just one of millions of others around the country who can't see their Mum, and we are all in the same boat. Despite the threat that hangs over us, there are signs of a more United Kingdom on the horizon as we all work together to defeat COVID-19. If there is one thing I learned from Mum over the years, it's to continue to fight in the most extreme circumstances. None of us know where this fight will take us personally, but following advice, doing the right thing, staying at home and thinking of one's Mother from the safety of our four walls, is a great place to begin. Happy Mother's Day to all!

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