Spring flowers during a pandemic

[Kkimm]

It is almost painful to see the beauty of the Spring woods in the south of England at this time.

We have had the most wonderful Spring in the UK while people suffer and die from this terrible disease and others have lost parents, children, partners and friends.

I have been taking permitted walks to my local woodlands during lockdown and in March I first saw white wood anenomies carpeting the forest floor in such perfusion with little violets peeping through. I had to lie on the ground to get this wood violet picture. The anenomies looked like miniature white stars shining in the woodland carpet and were so magical they were almost a cliche. Disney would have struggled to conjure up such a picture. This has been followed by delicate yellow primroses in clusters, yellow celandine, white stitchwort and finally extravagant displays of bluebells in late April. As I walked the woodland paths alone I thought of John Keats when he heard his nightingale sing while he suffered from tuberculosis at such a tender age. Just for a moment I wondered as he did, if it would not be easier to have my soul fly away with the nightingale into the forest dim, so that I would no longer be aware of the terrible suffering in the world or have to worry about myself or loved ones getting this frightening disease.

I suffer from health anxiety and have to be careful not to allow worry and anxiety to build. I am not depressed, am largely managing my anxiety well and know how lucky I am to be enjoying this beautiful scene. I feel terribly for those who are suffering badly with anxiety and depression at this time.

I am grateful for every minute I am able to live and to see and feel the bravery and courage of those who fight for us on the frontline in the NHS and Social Care. For those who provide us with food and essential services and for those who show how much we appreciate their sacrifice by clapping at 8.00 pm every Thursday night in the UK.

I am no longer a fighter on the frontline as I would have been in my younger days as a social worker or manager in child protection. I am volunteering to provide support to those who are lonely and isolated through a telephone support line but have not had any calls yet as the service is not yet able to make the right connections. It will however mean that I will continue to do this work once the Pandemic is over and I hope the other thousands of volunteers will do the same.

I hope we will be able to retain some of the messages we have heard at last , from this terrible pandemic and remember what really matters in life is protecting, loving and supporting each other and our beautiful but fragile earth.

[Blackdog1]

Thank you for posting.

[Kkimm in reply to Blackdog1]

Thanks for replying Blackdog

[fauxartist]

Much of what had been forgotten I think will be renewed out of this when history writes itself. We will see the simple things in life after doing without for a while, we will appreciate what we do have when we have no other choice but to do with what we have. Nature thanks us and gives us the collateral beauty amongst the chaos of this pandemic. We need to remember this and learn from this. Too much has been lost, too much wasted time on trivia, the things that really do matter....finally matter. A sense of grief and loss has not even had time to sink in….we are all shell shocked….and I hope common sense will prevail rather than impatience, denial, and ignorance….

[Kkimm in reply to fauxartist]

Thanks Fauxartist, very well said.

[Hidden in reply to fauxartist]

You are so right

[Kkimm]

Thanks for replying Blackdog

[Sabio77]

Kkimm thank you for sharing such beautiful pictures. I like your positivity.

[Kkimm]

Thanks so much

[lorianxiety]

Wonderful upliftment ,thanks for this post and hope you continue to cope ,and post more of the brighter side of life threw the beauty of nature ect.

[Hidden]

Love this💜