Recently work has been extremely busy like it has been for many, and it’s easy to get whipped up in the daily goings ons and stresses we all have at work, but if you’re fortunate, something or someone can snap you out of your tunnel vision and remind you to come back down to Earth. The other day I met a very lovely lady, who was buying education books for her children, and whilst we were talking we got onto the inevitable subject of the current state of covid. It turns out that she works at my local NHS hospital (I presume a nurse from what she was saying) and we got talking about her experience during the height of the pandemic so far, and just how she wishes and hopes that people would follow the social distancing rules and be sensible with their actions, because the reality she and her colleagues have faced has been horrendous during the past months. During a shift she hadn’t eaten, drunk, taken a toilet break, taken off her PPE or had a sit down throughout her 10 hour shift whilst caring for her patients. She was close to tears and you could see just how much effect it had had on her, and all you wanted to do was to take away the pain and trauma she must have endured. And yet, you could see that she was getting on with life, she was so pleasant despite the fact that she must be knackered, she took care over things, she was kind and cheering, and even thanked us for being open for her to buy her children’s books. Her kindness, compassion, good humour, strength and steadfastness to helping people put my minimal complaints of the day into perspective. If she and her colleagues can put their lives on the line, their home life on hold, and endure long shifts and still have the determination and uttermost kindness to take care of the community, then the rest of us can wear a mask or face covering, we can forgo certain social gatherings, we can help protect each other and the NHS in all the little ways we can. I have no idea what unimaginable situations countless doctors, nurses, carers, cleaners and hospital workers have been through, but we need to make sure that we are looking out for them, just as much as they are looking out for us.
I found these beautiful Charlie Mackesy illustrations and thought that they were rather fitting.
If you want to see more amazing drawings by Charlie Mackesy please check out his instagram account as it’s full of hope, comfort, wise words and always makes the day brighter. His book The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse which won Waterstones Book of the Year 2019 is one of the most inspirational and wonderful of books that I’m always recommending to anyone aged 0-101!
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Views from a Bookshop 