Things I’m learning from life in lockdown

Each day feels like an episode of Tiger King — when you’re 100% sure the one before could not have got any weirder

Neighbours I’ve barely spoken to have offered us spare toilet roll

Strangers are offering to do each-others’ food shopping

I look forward to 8pm on Thursdays — to the sound of my neighbourhood clapping and cheering out of their windows and at their front doors

As our closest source of personal contact, video calls are now something to look forward to

Apart from the fact I look like a thumb with a face drawn on it

I get to see family and friends I probably wouldn’t have seen for many more weeks/months at virtual ‘social events’ (…Houseparty/Facetime/Messenger/Zoom)

I’ve learned not to take it as a personal slight when someone decides not to join said ‘social event’

We’re all figuring out how to deal with this in our own way — and no one has the answer

Sharing and being open with how we’re feeling, though, helps

And those who check in on others, just to see how they’re getting on (because they’re having a better day and have the emotional capacity to do so), are those you know will be there forever

The way we treat each other right now is magnified 1,000,000 times

There’s not enough contact with loving, supportive friends, and too much time and space to ruminate over what may have been an unintended comment or snub

That’s why it’s more important than ever to be kind

But not to mice

Mice are incontinent

And really fast

And have absolutely no regard for social distancing

Lockdown is not a good time to find out you have mice.