If I were in charge of communications for lockdown I’d focus on the end.
Not in a grim “the end is nigh” sort of way, but in a reassuring “this will definitely end some day” sort of a way.
We did one lockdown. Most of us survived it, not all, I know. And we won’t all survive this one, but most of us will. There may be a few more lockdowns after this one. Christmas might suck. We’ll get through all of that too, as best we can.
The prize is that one day, this will be over.
We need to somehow keep morale up. But how do we do that I wonder? (Suggestions so very welcome below!!)
We need a flexible focus. Otherwise we’ll miss so much! And our eyes will grow weary….
For me this feels important: Let’s not ignore the present, its requirements and its horrors, much as we want to, and much as we try to. But in the meantime, and at the same time, remembering all the time, that the end of this dark chapter is nigh.
Our future, freer, selves will emerge.
We need the glorious promise of relief. Knowing that some day we can collectively let our shoulders relax, we can take the masks off. We can hold each other.
We’ll collapse, perhaps, into tired hug-hungry heaps. There’ll be tears, different kinds…
Will we get there? Yes absolutely. When? I’ve no idea (is that the hardest part?) But yes, absolutely. While staying in the present, yes, minding it and minding each other, let’s also consciously do what we therapists usually rail against, and focus on the end.
ps: I do know that I’m not in charge … sure when I offered to be in charge or at least help out with comms the last time no-one even got back to me. Imagine my shock! I mean at LEAST 3 people read that post…