#stayathome

Today is March, 18th 2020. 

Germany, Cologne, is not in a full lockdown. At least not yet.

But Corona is here. 

But let me get back to 2019. December 2019. I mean what a year. 2019 wasn’t my year for sure. I thought well 2020 is going to be so much better. I will just be so much stronger and ready for the new start. And I still believe that 2020 will be a great year. It is a new decade and a lot of change – changes we all feel and will feel for quite a long time.

So starting with severe bushfires in Australia, my heart was broken in January. But on the other side my personal life was so good. I was able to turn around a lot in the last months of 2019 and that felt right for 2020.

And then slowly Corona, or to be more accurate Covid 19 spread. It started in China, making its way to Italy and then finally Germany. Cologne, my hometown was one place in Germany where it started off so strong.

And now here we are. The entire world is isolating – every country shutting down borders, travel bans, lockdowns in Spain, Italy, France … It feels like a war but it is „just“ a virus and the downside of globalization.

I would say I feel helpless in a way that I see economy and people suffering and there is no way we can prevent it. It is a matter of time now and to slow the virus down. I see small business at the bridge of insolvency and then even big players struggle. I see young people ignoring the announcements by the government. Schools have been closed in order for people to stay home – yet it is spring time and everyone is out in the streets.

I see people helping each other, standing together. I see people going crazy in supermarkets and buying things they don’t need on a whole new level. I see nature recovering, wildlife going back to their grounds. I see selfishness in people. I see nurses, doctors and others working till they can’t anymore. And I see ignorant people, who believe this is just a joke.

So these are just my thoughts… I don’t want to say this is right or this is wrong. I just think we all have to slow down and take a deep breath. Rethink. Calm down. What comes next? 

For myself, I am staying in my home office as much as I can. I go for walks with Karl. I try to enjoy the little thinks. Like the sun on my balcony. The time I can spend with Karl. Being grateful for the good things and making plans for a possible lockdown in Germany.

I will write some more posts about this – maybe with some things that are on my mind and maybe with some things we can all do in order to stay strong and positive during this time.

So don’t forget: stay strong, stay at home, stay healthy – we are in this together.