I guess the only word to really express how all of this feels is ‘weird’. It’s like a scary movie where you know that people will survive but you don’t know what’s gonna happen in the next ten minutes. I’m not gonna lie, when this all started, I was one that believed it was just a flu, and that was avoiding the news to actually get to grips with how serious the whole situation is.
My family is back in Colombia, my home-country, and due a series of circumstances I ended up living and working in the UK - which I’ll never regret as I found my ‘home’, however in this circumstance I wish I had a tele-transport back, hug my mum for a long ten minutes and feel that everything is going to be alright.
We all feel this social distancing from different points of view. I started hating it, crying my heart out every night. Not understand what was going on and just expecting the worst. I don’t want to die far away from my family, I don’t want to hear bad news...I’m just scared. Week 2, I was feeling a little more settled, I started with a routine. Waking up early everyday as if I was going to work, going downstairs and sitting at the kitchen table as my ‘office’, making sure I workout every night either at home or on our ‘state-allowed’ run. Week 3, got even better, my sleeping went back to normal as I was having really vivid dreams or nightmares but now sleeping is back on track, exercise is the same and I started seeing this phase of our life as a lesson.
I believe things happen for a reason and this is a time of reflection, to appreciate the little things in life, like a hug, a latte at our favourite coffee shop or an after-work pint with our colleagues. It’s the time to go back and enjoy time with ourselves, reconnect by doing small things like meditation, yoga or reading a book. This is the time to pause our life and start again.
I have no doubt that this time is having an awful impact on many societies and families and it took me a while to understand the only thing I can do to help right now is STAY AT HOME.
As all of you, I can’t wait for all of this scary movie to be over. For life, to go ‘back to normal’ and to reunite with the people we love. I wish you all the best and for everyone with families oceans away like myself, I understand how hard - use technology in your favour and you’ll see how a FaceTime can feel like a virtual hug right now.
With love,
Daniela Orrego
Social Franchise Sales & Marketing Manager at Printed by Us
