When things happen that shake the entire world, we shake along with it. For indeed we are a part of the globe. We watched as the Coronavirus hit countries overseas, silently hoping that it would not reach our shores. Silently hoping that a solution would be found quickly. Silently hoping it would all go away.
It did not go away. It came to our shores, and once it did, we had to react as a country. As an institution. As individuals. So armed with all the information made available to us, we had to comply with lockdown measures the government prudently put in place. Some residents (11) are away and are facing this challenge under the care and guidance of their families, and we have the rest to take care of.
So the abnormal had to become normal! Residents who normally go to church services find themselves idle on Sunday mornings. Monday Ladies don’t arrive on Monday afternoons, Birthday outings went out the window, as did the much-awaited JoBerg2C and Sani2C cycle events, which had to be canceled or postponed. Easter travel plans were also locked down in a cold freezer!
Hard as the blow was, it dazed the residents, only for a moment. They embraced all these distractions so admirably, and accept that these measures have to be observed in order for us to play our part in the fight against this deadly virus. They are aware that this is everyone’s fight, and that everywhere else the lockdown is also in effect. So we have found new games to play and new ways to spend our time. We are positive that this will soon be past and life will get back to our old normal, which is the accepted norm.
And while we wait, we engage with each other. We reach out to wipe the loneliness off with phone calls and messages of hope. We play games and create new kinds of joy. We find in the shadows, that we have unprecedented courage and strength to stand together and go through this. We have nothing else other than our togetherness! And we have already seen the signs flashing in front of us that we will stay together, and strong. No one knows for how long this pandemic will linger outside our locked gates and doors, but ours is to stand together and fight the only way we can. We will not be crushed!
