If you read anything today, read this...

I received this note yesterday from Mark at The Village News on Milford on Sea Green and it bought everything into perspective for me... Please read.

A message from Mark at the Village News.

Just to update that I am still open but adhering to strict social distancing measures with only 3 customers in the shop at one time. 

People are starting to get the hang of it, its been strange for all of us, so please don't be offended if I ask you to stop wait (or stand in a box!) 

I have questioned myself whether I should be open for the sake of my family and customers health. However, with all the cleaning, hand washing etc it is still a scary time for me, seeing so many people and handling money with the risks this carries. That said, I have decided it is important for our community, especially for those who I am the only one they see or talk to in 24 hours - it provides a bit of normality during this horrific time. 

An example of this was last Saturday which upset me immensely. A very elderly lady came into the shop, which she does daily. I asked her why she was out and she broke down in tears, telling me she didn't want to be here anymore and hated life...the highlight of her day was was to pop in and get a paper. 

All she wanted was a hug, which is what I would normally do. I found this very distressing as I needed to comfort her but couldn't. 

Bev and I managed to calm her down and had a quick chat which was emotionally draining for us. 

After she went, all we could think about was her well-being and how many others like her there are. 

So can everyone please check on your neighbours, ask if they are ok, they might just need a quick chat through the window (at a distance) just to know that people care. 

I personally feel that mental health could possibly have a greater long term impact, so if you are passing the shop on your daily exercise just shout 'Hello' through the door, say hello to people you pass, ask how they are, just a bit of normality might make their day. 

Stay Safe Be Kind 

Mark

My Reply

Ah mate, I am not ashamed to say that your email just made the tears flow.

That elderly lady could have been my mum, or anyone else's, and people like you & Bev taking the time to look after anyone that crosses your threshold simply fills me with emotion and gratitude. 

Both of you are awesome, to provide some form of normality for so many and to keep the community together is a tough task, both emotionally and at a risk to yourselves, but you are doing it with a real care for the village. 

May I just say, you have my utmost respect. 

I try to help out from the relative safety of being behind a keyboard, but you guys on the front-line are doing much more and are beyond fantastic. 

Over many years you have been a fabulous supporter of my hair-brained schemes, and been behind every other village event wholeheartedly, and you deserve a lot more thanks than I suspect you ever get. 

For me, and I am sure many others, you go on the ‘Heroes List’; alongside the many individual volunteers in the village helping out however they can, restaurants working to keep us fed, the village supermarkets, shops & pharmacies still providing services and vital deliveries, the carers still looking after the elderly & vulnerable in the village ...and nationally the nurses, doctors, porters, home carers, takeaways, supermarket workers, factory workers, delivery drivers, police, binmen, council workers, chemists, taxi drivers, transport workers, my son (keeping peoples gas heating going) and so many more key workers putting others before themselves and keeping the country functioning. 

I hope everyone in the village reads the article I will publish and appreciates how difficult it is for everyone who is working or volunteering to keep the village functioning. 

Stay safe my friend – and make a note that you are on my list of people to give the biggest hug as I soon as I can! 

PS: I will definitely be publishing your thoughts, and probably with my reply, but right now I need to pour myself a drink and pull myself together. 

Regards

David