Compassion, Summer 2020

Summer 2020 - Compassion | www.tcf.org.uk 6 Dear Compassionate Friends, Three months ago I penned my first ‘Thoughts from the Chair’. I had just taken over the role of Chair of the TCF trustees and was keen to start leading this wonderful charity and build on the great work of my predecessors. I told you a bit about me, the loss of my son, Fabian, and my journey. I promised that in future editions I would share with you my hopes and aspirations for the future of our charity. I was already thinking of what thoughts I would share with you next time… It was beyond my contemplation in February that our world and the way we live our lives could change so much, be unrecognisable and unfamiliar in such a short time. That the only topic of discussion would be the Covid-19 pandemic and social distancing. Like so many people, the ‘Stay at Home’ order brought about an immediate change to my work and my life. I am one of the lucky ones who can work from home or via the medium of video conferencing. We have managed to maintain our supply of tins of tuna, pasta and toilet paper – so no worries there. But as with most other people life is different from what it was before lockdown in so many ways. Work is different, home life is different, the streets feel different and our interaction with other people has completely changed – some for good and some not so good. The hardest thing for me has been the inability to see those that we love and cherish but who do not live with us. It is a new way of living and experiencing the world, and as with everyone, it would be foolish to pretend that it has not had an impact on me and those around me. But… I have to admit that overall I have not found this transition very difficult. I am embarrassed to say that I have found the transition to be relatively easy. Of course I am acutely aware that for many it has not been easy or straight forward. I spent the first week or so, slightly perplexed at what I was seeing and hearing on TV, social media, on-line and in the papers, as to how people were reacting to the new regime. I was surprised, and even slightly annoyed at how angry people were and how they were expressing their frustrations. Of course being in lock-down was extremely different to howmost people including myself had lived their lives just days before… but I was truly puzzled as to why it was not affecting me to the same extent as it seemed to be affecting others. And then after about two weeks I heard someone say those words…. “Our new normal” and a lightbulb in my head illuminated: ‘Our new normal’. That was it. If I had metaphorically looked down, I would have seen my metaphorical t-shirt and it would have printed on it, “My New Normal”. I already had the t-shirt. Thoughts from the Chair Andrew Miller with his son Fabian