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In the time of coronavirus

A collection of stories submitted by the public on their experience of living through the time of the Coronavirus pandemic.
The coronavirus pandemic has changed our lives. Globally the scale of human suffering as a consequence of Covid-19 has been very great. Everywhere people are now reflecting on what this major and previously unimaginable global crisis means for us, as individuals, living in the 21st century. This forum offers a space for writers to reflect on their experience in Aotearoa and to consider questions such as: What might we need to remember and preserve? What has been my experience, my observations, how might my priorities have shifted, in a good way, as a result of the lockdowns? If you would like to contribute to the re-collective effort through any of the following life writing formats — journalling, nature writing, memoir, commentary, poetry, notes on work in progress during lockdown… — please make initial contact through my contact page. Next prepare a page of A4 writing, starting in the present moment and moving where you need to into the recent past and forwards from that point, with a title, brief bio, photo (optional) and your contribution will be added to the repository of important writings flowering in this space.

"We are here; we are human beings; this is how we lived. Let it be known, the earth passed before us. Our details are important."
Natalie Goldberg, Writing down the Bones (1986)

We are so fortunate in Aotearoa NZ by Pat Backley

14/9/2021

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Pat Backley is an author, based in Auckland. She is a mother to one beautiful daughter. Passionate about people and travelling the world, she has spent seventy years living a colourful and interesting life and her books reflect these passions.

 
When we were plunged into our first lockdown in March 2020, I wasn’t particularly concerned. I thought it was just another virus, like the SARS outbreak. It would make headlines worldwide, then pass by, leaving us almost untouched. This was merely a blip, a rather shocking halt to our normal everyday lives here in Aotearoa New Zealand. Surely it would be over in a couple of weeks, when I had a big overseas trip planned and then we could get back to normal?

How wrong I was.
 
Every year since I emigrated to NZ I’ve travelled back to London, to visit my beloved daughter, my only child. This time I was also going to see friends in France, Morocco, Spain and Russia.
 
Instead, I celebrated my 69th birthday alone, in isolation, in my bubble of one.
 
I spent the first few weeks of lockdown lazing on the sofa, watching Netflix and eating far too much chocolate. I tried to avoid the news. It was depressing seeing how badly the rest of the world was faring. But it was also addictive. I found myself watching every news bulletin, even though they often made me cry.
 
Thank God for the internet, for Zoom, WhatsApp and Facetime. I could talk to friends, post messages on Facebook and Instagram and see how other people were coping.
 
It was a novelty at first. Not having to make any effort to go out, wearing comfy clothes all day long, but then the novelty started to wear off. I began to miss things: a cup of proper barista coffee, lunch with friends, hugs. For me, human touch has been the thing I have missed most during this pandemic.
 
Despair began to set in. I was worried about my daughter in London, things were dire there. I worried about my friends, some of them were quite elderly and susceptible to this awful virus. I worried about my close friends in Fiji. How would they cope if the pandemic ravaged their country?
 
Living alone gives you too much time to think. I now knew that my planned trip to see my daughter wasn’t going to happen. The world was in a terrible mess, the situation worsening daily. It was like living in a science fiction movie.
 
I was 69 years old and realised I needed to do something. And so I decided to write a book. I had never written a book before. Like many people I had dreamt of doing so, but life always got in the way. I sat up day and night for two weeks, frantically putting all my thoughts on paper. My first novel was published six months later.
 
Although Auckland is in level 4 again and the future is uncertain, I feel more fortunate than most of the rest of the world.  My beloved daughter chose to come home permanently and is now only thirty minutes away. We live in an incredibly beautiful country, with great beaches and kind people. Every day I feel grateful to be able to call Aotearoa New Zealand my home.

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Writing Memoir
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Copyright © 2017 Deborah Shepard
  • Home
  • Books
    • The Writing Life >
      • Reviews & Interviews
    • Giving Yourself to Life
    • Her Life's Work
    • Translucence
    • Between The Lives
    • Reframing Women
    • Tributes
    • Personal Writings >
      • Lockdown Journal
      • Travel Journal
      • Elegy for a friend
      • Christchurch - Post Quakes
      • On a residency
      • Deborah’s Love Letter to the Women’s Bookshop
      • Deborah's Q & A With Unity Books
  • Writing Memoir
    • Defining Memoir
    • The Participatory Model
    • Tips on Writing and Posting a Story
    • The Value of a Writing Class
    • From writing course to book publication
    • Your Writing Space
    • Writing on a Theme >
      • Window
      • Surviving a Crisis
    • Reviews of Memoir
  • Writers' stories
    • Covid-19 Stories
    • Writing Guidelines
  • Events
  • About
    • Testimonials
    • Media
  • What People Say
  • Contact