Something gained and retained

It was five years ago, in February 2021, that the pandemic started to finish for me.  I went to Louth and had my first vaccination against Covid 19.  It was quite a while before I ventured out very much but it became possible to do far more things.

But as I moved into the new era I wondered what would have been gained and what would have been lost as a result of that dreadful disease.  So many lives had been lost and many of us had well over a year of relative isolation.

During that time we learned new skills.  I learned to do far more on line.  We had on line classes, we had to get used to on line banking and shopping and we learned to "visit" one another on line.  I still lead a weekly worship on line.

But I had to learn to use Zoom and Facetime and the like to communicate with family and friends.  My knitting group (none of our members is in the first flush of youth) held fortnightly sessions to knit and natter.

And I think that is something I have gained and retained.  This morning I will be having a face-to-face (on line) meet up with a friend in Leicester.  For many years we just met up twice a year, and we still do that, but now we have a monthly catch up with each of sitting in our favourite chairs at home.  

And last night I chatted with a friend who is on a cruise ship off the coast of Brazil.