World Happiness Day and coping in the time of Covid-19: ‘Keep calm. Stay wise. Be kind.’
Tomorrow 20 March 2020 is the United Nations International Day of Happiness, or simply World Happiness Day. In the light of the coronavirus pandemic, some good advice from a group called Action for Happiness is to ‘Keep calm. Stay wise. Be kind’.
Celebrated since 2013, World Happiness Day is observed in recognition of the pursuit of happiness as a basic human right and goal. Central to this pursuit is our understanding of what happiness is - as individuals, collectively, culturally, nationally, globally - and how we can experience it. Initiatives involve grassroots community groups, institutions, governments and humanitarian organisations.
On and leading up to World Happiness Day, media attention is usually given to happiness and what fosters or hinders it, awareness campaigns, and events focused on human happiness and the desire to spread it among all. Much of this focus seems to have been understandably drowned out by the coronavirus pandemic.
We all know that happiness means different things to different people. Whatever it means to you, we are sharing a common situation, coping and living in the time of a global pandemic outbreak of a novel coronavirus named Covid-19. Millions have been infected and many thousands have died worldwide, with China and Italy being major epicentres of the disease so far. Mercifully, deaths attributed to the disease in poor countries with poor health systems such as those in Africa, have been relatively low so far. Many better developed nation states are facing steep challenges.
People have lost their lives. People have lost loved ones. It is predicted that there is worse to come. In Europe, we have been told to brace ourselves. Governments are rightly ramping up efforts to mitigate the impact of the deadly virus. These very necessary efforts are impacting the way we interact with each other. There is fear that social distancing will lead to isolation of whole groups of people. All this hardly fosters happiness.
In the UK, the pandemic seems to be bringing out both the best and the worst in humanity. I’ve read about acts of kindness, people getting supplies for housebound elderly neighbours. But there is also fear. Panic buying (a natural survival instinct) is rife, as people rush to prepare for the a possible full lock down. Self isolators do need to eat and drink. Whole shelves in supermarket aisles are bare. I went to four supermarkets yesterday but found no fresh chicken to buy. Thankfully, the local fishmongers was well stocked so I was able to buy some seafood, which is more expensive than chicken. I have not been able to buy powdered milk for two weeks. No packaged passata. I just wanted one packet of passata to add to my chicken stew - if I’d been able to find fresh chicken. No affordable eggs. I did get a 6 x 1L pack of bottled water though. I normally drink tap water and continue to do so. That was my one an only purchase of bottled water - just in case. I am single and live alone. I imagine that if I had a family to feed, I would have wanted to buy more.
The media generally presents people who maintain hoards of survival goods as being eccentric and somewhat unhinged. ‘Preppers’, they are called is the United States. Preppers are big over there. We have a few over here too. Well, preppers will probably be feeling pretty justified now, thinking ‘I told you so!’. I hear that UK supermarkets may seek police support in the event that further rationing is introduced. All this wouldn’t be necessary if we followed the advice to buy what we need. Fair enough, we may need a bit more than usual, BUT PLEASE DON’T TAKE THE WHOLE LOT! Come on!
There is talk in some religious circles of end times. Saturday gone, I came upon a group handing out literature about the end of the world. Wood Green is a multicultural inner-city borough in London. Street preaching of all faiths, and small demonstrations for myriad causes are a common occurrence on the high street. That Saturday, I came upon four preaching pitches along a 50m stretch of of the high street, on both sides of the pavement. One preacher was literally elevated atop a ‘soapbox’ in front of the main library, urging passers by to repent as the end was nigh. I did not stop to listen any of the messages fully so I do not know whether any of the preachers actually mentioned Covid-19 per se. My mother certainly did later that day! ; )
I won’t give audience to the conspiracy theories that are making the rounds at this time.
There is a great deal of uncertainty though. The virus may behave differently in different populations depending on factors such as demographics and proximity to possible non-human hosts. Lots of contradictions and ironies in the practical realities of individual and whole group/family self-isolation and social distancing too. I took this picture (below) yesterday as I queued outside a Superdrug store that had hard to find hand sanitisers in stock. I was able to buy two (ration in force), but so much for social distancing! … To our credit, the atmosphere was calm and almost upbeat!
I needed hand sanitiser …
A tricky situation, but I do generally try to be reasonable and to comply with directives in the interest of us all. UK schools have been ordered to shut, with special provision made for the children of key workers that we need to keep the NHS, emergency and care services, and simply THE NATION going.
This is a time of pain and great sadness for those who have lost family and friends to the virus. A time of pain and fear for those whose loved ones have contracted the disease and have symptoms, whether they be in hospital or at home. At the same time Londoners are still out and about. The trains and buses are still packed during rush hour. Some of that will be the ‘stiff upper lip’ in action. This can be a good thing. At some point, it could become a foolish thing. Most people in the rush hour crush are relatively young and the risk of the virus causing life-threatening illness to them is currently thought to be some lower than it is for the elderly and those with serious underlying medical conditions. We simply don’t know enough about the virus and our response to it yet, so we cannot rest on our laurels. There are some indications from the United States that the young are not immune from serious illness. While we don’t know enough about the virus’ ability to mutate and our immune response it, it is hoped that humans may be able to build some sort of ‘herd immunity’ to the virus.
With all this going on, what reasons can we find to be ‘happy’ on World Happiness Day? How can we find happiness in times of Covid-19? How do we cope? Can the plant kingdom play a part in helping us cope?
Happiness is a very individual thing, meaning different things to different people. For some, for example, those in a state of mental and/or emotional distress or incapacity for any reason, a more basic sentiment such as ‘OK’ might be a more realistic state or ambition to contemplate, let alone achieve. A homeless person living on the streets of London might find happiness in a bed at the shelter on a cold night. That same bed might be a source of misery for others.
For these reasons, I will speak for myself, as a single person who lives alone, as I think about World Happiness Day, in these times of Covid-19. What things am I doing to cope, now, on and beyond World Happiness day? How can I be of help to others while protecting myself? I’m actually beginning to think that staying 'safe and sane is a good enough objective for World Happiness Day.
How about you? Do you live in a large household? Are you having to juggle things to make sure that your children will be safe and looked after while schools are closed during the crisis? My mind goes to my beloved nephew and niece who have been sent home indefinitely from their boarding school as a result of the crisis. I will see what I can do to help there. Thankfully, they are not at the O level stage yet so they don’t have to deal with the exam issue …
There are a few things I am trying to do now, before World Happiness Day, and will be doing afterwards to stay safe and sane, and to ride through the crisis, and hopefully come out ‘smelling of roses’ on the other side of it. Now, that’s an outcome that would bring me some happiness! Here are my top 5:
1. I am following UK government advice on how to keep myself and others safe
It’s all over the media, whichever type you consume. Let’s all try to do the right thing for all of our sakes.
2. I am trying to be grateful and say ‘thank you’ often
Life can be tough. However, I am very grateful that I am not incapacitated by Covid-19. I can breathe normally and I can walk. My immediate family members are alive. A few have ‘colds’ but nothing to worry about, we think.
I can eat, even though I can’t find all of the ingredients I really want. I’m not dying of Kwashiokor, the wasting disease caused by malnutrition and starvation. Time to get creative and cook up good meals using whatever I can find!
I still have winter greens on my allotment, so I don’t need to worry about not finding vegetables on the supermarket shelf. I can walk to the allotments to get them if I decide I need to avoid public transport.
I am happy that the UK government is announcing measures to help people through the crisis. I hope to hear more, as well as specifics.
I am happy that I have lots of real live flower blooms on my plots to admire, while keeping a safe distance from others.
3. I am continuing my plant life. Indoors, most definitely! Outdoors, with caution
I am planting the vegetable and flower seeds on my list for March indoor sowing. Some - not all : ( - of the seeds I planted indoors in February have germinated. I’m keeping an eye on those seedlings. Some will soon be ready to be transplanted into larger pots.
Indoor plants can be beneficial, cleaning the air indoors and providing a bit of green therapy if you are unable to go out or are self-isolating. I don’t have any ornamental indoor plants at the moment so what I am doing is filling my soul with pictures of my plants in bloom in the spring and summer of previous years. They really do make me smile! The fact that I nurtured them while nature did it’s thing fills me with a sense of pride and purpose. Here are a just a few rose and peony blooms:
The internet is a treasure trove for virtual green delights. I indulge liberally!
If you’re a gardener and you have your own garden or outside space- perfect! If you’re not a gardener, are you’re stuck at home, and have a garden or outside space, why not give gardening a try? You might just like it.
I have neither garden nor outside space of my own at the moment, so it’s indoors or the allotments for me. I have severely curtailed my visits to my allotments. Social distancing. I do go to keep an eye on things, usually at times when I know there aren’t likely to be many people around. Most (not all) of my plants can pretty much be left to nature in the prevailing weather conditions. Many parks and gardens remain open in the UK. People will need to be able to use them safely. Many events scheduled by horticultural societies, within parks and halls, however, have been cancelled. Even the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2020 has been a casualty of Covid-19! It is a very crowded event so it’s understandable. Glastonbury and many sporting fixtures have been cancelled too.
4. I am taking advice from the group, Action for Happiness, to ‘Keep calm. Stay wise. Be kind.’ seriously
Action for Happiness is a non-profit movement of people from 160 countries, supported by a partnership of like-minded organisations. They have produced what I think is an excellent calendar of ‘things to do’ during the Covid-19 crisis, which can be adapted to suit your particular needs. I’m using it my way.
Mo juba (‘I hail you!’ in the Yoruba language) Action for Happiness! Love it! I hope you find the calendar useful too.
The coping calendar is downloadable from the Action for Happiness website: www.actionforhappiness.org
