I Can See Clearly Now The Rain Has Gone...

· Insights,Attention

As I drove towards my favourite beach with the windscreen wipers flipping to and fro, and the view obscured by the rainy mist, this song came belting out of the radio.

"I can see clearly now the rain has gone… “

I laughed so loud, it was just perfect in its complete contradiction. The joy of having a good laugh was a real boost.

Here in Wales, the sun had been shining brightly over the weekend. And with it came the first of the holiday-makers, as lock-down restrictions were finally eased allowing self-contained accommodation to open to guests. The atmosphere has changed. People were out and about, clearly on holiday. There was a lightness and a sense of fun and freedom which hasn’t been apparent for a long while.

Yet, I’d caught myself feeling put out that my peace and quiet was ending, and became very aware of my aloneness as I saw couples, families and groups of friends enjoying the beach together. I recognised my need to be a part of something, and it hurt that I wasn’t.

When I think about it today, as the rain pelts the roof of my van, I feel sad that the beach is once again deserted. I want to see more of the joy and happiness of people enjoying the freedom of being outdoors and on holiday. And, rather than wanting to avoid seeing people together, I am recognising my own need to find ways of being with people myself once again.

How are you managing the changes happening around you as lock-down eases? What are you noticing about your reaction and response? Any ideas on how to re-integrate after 15 weeks alone would be most welcome...