When Nature Nurtures

Dark grey skies eliminate the light and a mighty rumble of thunder echoes violently within my head
As the negativity of each day crashes down on me with the force of freak hailstorms.
Treacherous rainfall batters down on my thoughts leaving me unable to concentrate;
Fear of death and destruction keeps me under cover; not venturing outside because it’s unsafe.
Gale force winds knock my emotions unbalanced, spending day after day lay in my bed
Hiding away from what’s happening in the world - I’m alone but I’m protected and warm.
Sacrificing human interaction with friends and family so as not to be contaminated;
There’s nothing else to do than to be alone with my thoughts and wait.

I try to avoid scrolling through news sites and turning on the radio and television;
“Stay at Home, Protect the NHS, Save Lives” proclaims the Prime Minister
As the pandemic rages across the world and forces millions into isolation.
Different countries devise different plans but nobody knows what the future holds.
Receiving daily updates on further restrictions and how much the number of deaths has risen;
Good news is scarce, the virus is spreading with no vaccine to administer;
Conspiracy theorists protest and disrupt causing more anxiety and frustration;
Images of exhausted doctors and nurses flood the news as the nightmare continues to unfold.

We plunge into a recession with unschooled children and mass unemployment,
Basic necessities are stripped from the supermarket shelves as people enter survival mode.
It’s become normal to see everyone in blue surgical masks, their faces hidden from view,
Just pairs of eyes darting around, people conscious not to be too close to one another.
Our whole world has changed and we have to find other sources of enjoyment,
Other ways to work, other ways of interacting with loved ones in this futuristic episode.
Mental illness is rife, with anxiety levels high and more people than ever feeling blue.
Today I had enough and I went out for a short walk to prove to myself the world isn’t over.

I stepped out of the house on this warm April day. I had to get out of my mundane routine
Of going out of my mind with stress; I needed a change of scenery - I needed to feel alive.
What surprised me most was how much I appreciated nature after being inside for so long
Caught up in my own whirlwind of negative thoughts and constant news reports
Of deprivation and suffering. Was the sky always that blue? The grass always that green?
I was lost in a dizziness of wonder and awe at the beauty around me; the trees and the wildlife.
It comforted me – somehow I didn’t feel alone anymore; I didn’t feel afraid – I felt strong
And cared for, in a way I had never felt before. My mind became clear and I could hear my own thoughts.

After weeks of everything seeming grey, the bright spring daffodils allowed me to see colour again.
The sun showed me the light and gave me warmth. The soft, white clouds cushioned my insecurities.
The majestic swaying of the trees in the gentle breeze soothed me like a sweet lullaby,
Birdsong made me feel like an excitable child dancing to her heart’s content, spinning down the lane.
I passed dozens of hand-drawn rainbows stuck to windows - pictures of children’s hope and positivity.
Posters for community centre support groups strapped to lampposts down every street,
Everybody pulling together in strength and togetherness, where a friendly neighbour is always nearby.
I was reminded of the positives, the light, the strength; and that there will always be sunshine after the rain.