Do you hear what I hear?

After all the hubbub of Christmas, the eerie silence that descends on the high street is usually noted as weird, strange, and out of place in this rushed society.  

The website A Very British Problem noted how the British all comment on how quiet the shops are as if it is a surprise. 

This January, of course, it will be something we have grown used to. Silence is golden according to Herman and his Hermits but it can also be deafening.  

Ask Albert, bright as a button but he is losing his shine. Albert has seen very little of his family over the festive period or even prior to it, come to that,  to as some of them are key workers, some of them are young and at school and some of them don’t care either way.

A recent outbreak of Covid in his block of flats meant his all to infrequent visits were curtailed even further, I was asked not to go into see him unless it was absolutely essential.

He drank lots of whiskey over Christmas.  

He struggled and when it came to it,  I wasn’t classed as essential. Me who has helped keep him motivated, helped him smile and helped him have a life after the death of a loved one. 

Never underestimate the power of human contact, a hug, a smile a chat on the phone, people are essential.  

So, this is not new, it’s not even news, but what it is, is food for thought. I live in Preston on the outskirts of Paignton. It’s not what you would think of as an isolated place and yet people are lonely but not alone.  

Can you spare half an hour to chat to someone like Albert? This is not just about Covid-19 although that has not helped. This is a day in day out reality for thousands of people, not just in Preston, but across the Bay.

Let them share their experiences with us and help us to help them. After all, love is all around.