I went out one night almost four years ago on a mission. I drove to a nearby service station, and got out of the car. Peering across the car park, I spotted my target and gave a signal. I approached, face hidden, and placed the money in a neutral location before withdrawing again. The masked figure then approached, collected the money, and deposited the goods before vanishing the way he had come.
My trip to buy four chickens from a local farmer took on a slightly more cloak-and-dagger aspect than usually necessary back in April 2020. We had planned to buy them a month earlier, but had been delayed by lockdown. Even when things finally opened up enough to meet others, we were still concerned and cautious, and arranged the sale with as little interaction as possible – meeting outside, wearing masks, and depositing the money and then the box of hens on the ground between us, rather than handing them over directly.
Writing about the passing of our final hen a few weeks ago reminded me of what a different world these animals were born into compared to our lives today. It really is hard to believe that that experience was four years ago. Happily, this Easter I was able to see family and friends in person rather than over a Zoom call, and not worry about things like the supply of sugar and flour for making cakes, or whether or not we would run out of pasta or toilet roll. Those were months of such uncertainty and fear, and had a huge impact on our lives. It’s easy to forget how difficult things were back then, as life has returned back to “normal”, but I think it’s worth reminding ourselves every now and again, and thinking about how far we’ve come to get “back on track” – or cut ourselves some slack if we are still working towards that.
It also makes me feel incredibly grateful for those small things, like being able to see people in person, to go to the shops, and to know that it’s unlikely I will be plunged without warning into further restrictions on daily life in the coming months. I’m also feeling grateful for the few good things which came out of that time, such as a renewed love of walking in the local area, rediscovered when it was our only option! I hope you all had a restful and happy Easter.