Some further random lock down reflections

Some further random lock down reflections

One generalisation we can make is that people have responded to all this very differently e.g. in levels of anxiety or compliance.

Good routines and habits are very helpful and important. There is a lot to be said for exercise and diet and regular bedtimes for mental and physical health.

There is a real art to rest, relaxation and recreation. Some of us are not that good at knowing what to do to have fun or wind down. Or what might give us “flow” (creative happy, taken up, time seems to fly by). We are like the teenager who says, “I’m bored… and I don’t want to read a book: books are boring!”. We default to something like rubbish telly which we don’t really enjoy. Far better to start a list of shows we’d love to see.

 Even when some of us have had more time, we have not necessarily used it well. Doing good stuff or achieving is as much to do with energy, motivation, self-control and method as raw time. We should embrace the power of plodding. 20 minutes a day, 5 days a week for a year or three, much could be done. Spurts of intense work and enthusiasm can also be productive and some people depend on deadlines to get things done. In my experience, “I will get up an hour earlier to pray and read my Bible every day stating at 5am tomorrow” does not often last long” – maybe not even overnight! Ah, “tomorrow!”

Sometimes old dogs can learn new tricks. Sometimes they are even grateful for being taught them.

Necessity (when it is felt) can be the mother of invention (or at least copying).

Desperation can be the mother of prayer.

People sometimes have wonderful plans for the lives of others: “Someone should…”; “Maybe you could…”. “We should…” often means “you should…”

It is easy to criticise. Sometimes criticisms are justified. It is not easy to anticipate and lead or get everything right.

One cannot please all the people all of the time. It is hard to totally please anyone ever.

The government suffers from the idea that the government must solve all problems. They are partly to blame for holding themselves up as potential Messiahs.

Some people in some communities have pulled together and served incredibly, sometimes with a measure of virtue signally and making sure their good deeds are seen by others, but, nevertheless, there are many people of apparently incredibly good will.