Time to Think and Help

Today, I thought I'd write a post about how taking a step back from work and doing certain other things has had a positive effect on me mentally. For one thing, I feel much more rested and relaxed and in addition, I have felt less compelled to spend money. Life has definitely simplified in the last few weeks.  Lots of dog walks, looking after what we have and appreciating it.

It's interesting how living though this kind of crisis can make you reassess your priorities. I've been spending way too much money in the last six of months, on inessential thrifted clothes and other such stuff and the current situation seems to have curbed this behaviour.  I don't feel inclined to spend money on anything at the moment, other than real necessities.  I think I needed the wake up call.

I've been reading a lot over the past few weeks, and one book was the very interesting Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer. I've had it sat on my book shelf for a long time, but whilst I was eating meat, I couldn't bring myself to read it, for fear it would upset me. I didn't feel ready to change.  Since we've stopped eating meat, I've been able to pick it up and read it. I was right, it is very upsetting and it makes me more determined to carry on not eating meat. I've got another book on the subject waiting to be read called the Omnivore's Dilemna, which is mentioned quite a lot in Foer's book. I'll probably be reading that soon too. Currently, however, we're not finding the change in our eating habits too challenging, but I do need to get more experimental in the kitchen. That's for sure.

I hope you are all coping with the current lockdown situation and having to curb some personal pleasures for the sake of individual and community safety. I'm sure it will be worth it to ease the load that our first responders are facing at the moment. It is in times like this that you really appreciate what they do for our country. They must already be exhausted.

In addition, those working in supermarkets and food distribution are also so very important at the moment and it makes you appreciate what we normally take for granted on a daily basis. They must see the very worst of human nature in some situations. I've heard stories of people being robbed of their shopping having just left the supermarket, old people being tricked out of money to buy groceries and people even raiding the food bank baskets at supermarkets.

In contrast, there are also very heart warming stories of people giving away free food and accommodation to first responders and vulnerable people, which is more reassuring. We are currently considering ways we might be able to help others, even if it just involves donating to local food banks who are desperately short of food. Our street What's app group is keeping us in touch with what help is needed and by whom, not just in our street, but also in our wider local community. There may be opportunities that we can take through that.

Any surplus food we grow at the allotment, I'm particularly thinking of the rhubarb, which we don't use at all, can be left outside the gate of the allotment for people to take. It's already growing like crazy.  We were going to dig it up, but it is so productive that it might be best to keep it and donate it to others in need of fresh food. I may also have a declutter and see if there are items I can put outside the house for people to take, that might be useful to them over the next few months.

There are probably plenty of ways we can help others if we put our minds to it. There is a lot of poverty even on our own doorstep and lots of people probably haven't had the money to prepare for what is happening now. Are there any ways that you are helping those in your community to get by in this difficult time?