Life in lockdown 3 feels a little harder. We know people who got seriously ill from covid and those who experienced a mild dose. We know people worrying about every symptom and those awaiting test results. School is online again and those of us with children are living closely together with little chance of ‘time out’. We are exercising but we must keep within 5k from home to do so. We are seeing our friends and family online. Our work meetings are all on zoom. So too are our therapy sessions. 

My teenagers are desperately missing the social interaction with their friends and they are worrying about exams, mock exams and school projects. I miss my girlfriends. I miss the banter of dinners, group swims and book club. I miss the excitement of buying tickets for a music gig and the night itself - full of laughter and dancing. I miss coffee and the chats with my colleagues before a work meeting.

Thankfully, we live near the beach and close to woodland and I am taking daily walks with the dog - and sometimes with a teenager or two! The other day, on the beach, it was cold but the sky was blue and the sea was inviting. The dog and I came to a stretch covered in stones and pebbles. As I stumbled over the myriad of grey stones, my eye caught a brightly coloured one. A stone painted pink with gold around its edge. So pretty and, as I peered closer, I saw a word written in silvery letters: ‘enough’. I immediately suspected someone had painted ‘enough is enough’ and my inner cynic smiled. 

But, on closer inspection, the pink, gold and silvery stone read: ‘you are enough’. Those words momentarily took my breath away. I grinned, I laughed, I giggled. Part of me wanted to pick it up and run. I could have - there was no one around. But the feeling inside me was… dare I say it… happiness. Yes, I felt… happy. Some stranger had painted this stone and placed it there for me to see. Not only for me of course. But for every person who went for a walk on the beach that day. How long would it remain here? Would the tide carry it out? Would the seawater wash the paint off?  I left the beautiful stone there. I would love someone else to feel the happiness and lightness I did when I saw it.

A random act of kindness. I am now looking out for a few random acts I can do for others. I would like to pass on that warm, bright feeling… 

And for anyone feeling low or lonely or lockdown-heavy today, I would like to remind you of the words on that magical stone. 

So simple. So true. 

You are enough…

Salt water mum x

A Moodscope member.