Feeling out of control?

When I was on the phone yesterday someone said to me that they felt totally out of control and that choices and freedom had been temporarily been removed from them. I can understand this feeling, but want to say we do still have freedom and choices can still be made, even if they are more limited at present.

So many of our young people have never known such curbs on their freedom and in many ways intrusion into their lives by outer sources. It is strange, difficult and frightening for so many.

This morning, another gorgeous morning, with a stunning dawn. There was a choice to get up and get on, or to stay in bed. There was a choice to find a routine to help us day by day or just muddle through things, there was a choice to embrace all that today offers or to turn our back on the world. Yes there are so many choices that we can still make - phoning people we haven't seen or heard from for years, penning a letter or card to someone we know is isolated and alone, committing to morning and evening prayer with the parish at 9 and 4:30 daily, joining in acts of worship, or to make a list each day of people we can pray for and how we return out thanks to God for all we have.

I know this may not be easy but in the situation we find ourselves it can help us and moreover help us through the whole of this period. We all need for ourselves to have a daily routine to our day and we can plan this. It should not be arduous, but give each day a framework and a purpose. When I was in hospital for weeks expecting James and Becky, I found a routine for the day really helpful. It went something like this, shower, wash, dress, prayers, breakfast, write one letter (another one for the afternoon), read the paper, do some quizzes/crosswords, coffee etc etc. I soon was creative, knitting etc, making little cards etc. I had cards and letters coming to me, as well as writing out. I read many books, listened to much music and had time to do many things which went undone when I was busy at home. I actually enjoyed the time, often alone except for visits.

If you are finding time hard to cope with I urge you to try and make yourself a daily routine and stick to it, include so many phone calls a day, write so many letters, add in extra prayers and reflections, listen to music and have time to relax and cut off; don't follow too much news: aim to enjoy the time alone, with your immediate family and with God.

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