My lovely dad used to say this to me when I was young and I still repeat it to this day.

The funny thing is, with the pandemic as it’s been, this phrase has rung so true!

I do understand how difficult it has been for some though. I, for one, had to shield, being classed as CEV (Critically Extremely Vunerable). Right at the beginning when we all felt this dark cloud ascend (despite the lovely bright weather) and no one really knew what was going on was a feeling I would not want to experience ever again!

But we all grew with it, we all adapted as best we could. Children started home learning, many businesses adopted a work from home style of working and all at, almost, a click of a switch. It’s amazing really how we, as a Country, did this, at no pre-warning, no practice runs.

Then the schools (I work in one) popped out their protective wings for the children that needed it most and the children of workers that had to face that front line and help carry us through such unprecedented times. Teachers and support staff were nervous but the children would never know. As parents we often put on a brave face for our children but the school staff put on the brave face and ‘invisible protective armour’ for their own and other’s children.

I had to work from home. I wasn’t, for quite sometime, even allowed to go for a walk outside of my garden – so so thankful for at least having a garden. My heart and thoughts often drifted to those CEV that didn’t have gardens to, at least, have some respite from the four walls that had become a Groundhog Day style vision. And also to those that didn’t have company, whilst my 3 children, husband and I would have moments of frustration at being under each other’s feet ALL the time, we were there for each other, experiencing the same thing, at the same time, in the same property so we understood each other and could discuss our thoughts, feelings and frustrations.

And so, as I sit here, over a year later and just as the country is starting to open up, I think about my Dad’s phrase ‘East West Home’s Best’ and reflect that our homes protected us as best they could. I also reflect about the awful way this pandemic has affected many families, the sadness that has engulfed the county when we read about the number of lost lives, such as you might imagine hearing about during a war. The ‘war’ that Covid presented, no pre argument, no disagreement leading to it just a smack-bang-wallop war.

If you’re reading this, it means that you, also, have gone through this rather large about change to life and you would have your own story and thoughts to share so please do.

Until next time…embrace your home for looking after you and protecting you as best it could and, as always, take care