Today is 24th Dec 2021, Christmas Eve which I absolutely love. The last minute chaos of Christmas, the final frenzied wrapping, travelling to family, seeing those I love and yet here I am Day 8 of Covid enforced isolation and I don’t even have Covid!

It all started last Friday 17th Dec, we had a friend staying with us from Thursday to Saturday and while him and I chatted over a leisurely breakfast I received a text from my husband upstairs…….’Hi Darling I’m positive’.

The strange thing is, the whole World understands exactly what this means, a whole different consequence from those words when uttered back in 2019. In that moment the next 10 days changed….Christmas changed for yet another year.

Our friend made a hasty exit after testing negative, packing his bags and wishing us well. I also tested negative but of course plans with friends and family were cancelled and replaced with a rendezvous at the PCR testing site.

Strangely, I did not feel fear, panic or sadness, just the peace and calm of someone who knew this could be coming after ‘the boys’ headed off to a Premier League match earlier in the week. Not that I blame my husband in any way as I encouraged him to go…do we really want to live our lives in fear and hiding, missing opportunities ‘just in case’. No way!! That is not how God wants us to live, He wants us to step out in Faith, not fear, living each day to the full and spreading love, joy and hope as we journey through that day.

So what about isolation? You see, in the end I have not been able to put pen to paper about how isolation has been so far.

Why not?

How can I call it true isolation?

We have a big house and my husband is upstairs isolating from me as he doesn’t want me to get Covid…but he has a bedroom, bathroom and living room with a TV, lap top and i pad…he has a beautiful wife ( me, in case you wondered) who brings him all he needs and while he has felt a bit miserable with a flu like illness, he is doing well. I have all the Christmas decorations around me, candles burning, lights twinkling and my daughters amazingly comfortable bed downstairs with my own bathroom and most importantly I have complete control of the remote control!! Only 100m from our house is a deserted stony beach where I can walk as long as I remain negative.

An abundance of friends and neighbours offering to get us anything we need. plenty of heat and a fridge and pantry full of food. We have FaceTime, Skype, Whatsapp and many other means of communication with the outside world and seeing the faces of those we love. My 3 beautiful children are safe and are with other members of our wonderful family.

How can this be called isolation??

What about the single Mum in a Tenement Flat with 3 young children who has lost her job during Covid and can barely make ends meet, whose fridge and cupboard are empty and who has no-one to call on while she isolates.

The Family who receive the news of cancer…for them everything in life changes immediately and not just for 10 days, they have an isolation of a very different kind.

Or the family who watch a loved one become unwell with Covid and be admitted to hospital, unable to visit, now that’s isolation.

Those whose Mental health has suffered in the isolation of their mind during this season of the pandemic.

The lonely person suffering from addictions who has no-one to call on, no-one to love them.

I can try and imagine the heartache of their isolation, but truly I have no idea.

So for me who is well and safe in the comfort and peace of my own home, knowing I am loved and valued, knowing that Christmas is about the Joy and Gift of Jesus coming to Earth for each of us, my only concern is that my husband stays well and recovers from Covid and I gave that concern to my Faithful loving Saviour who can be trusted.

So what did my gentle isolation teach me? It taught me that the only thing I missed was the joy of friends and family and showering them with love in the week before Christmas, love that has already been showered on me by God sending His Son Jesus to Earth.

It is so easy to isolate yourself from the World, from the hurt and pain of others, from their messy lives because you don’t want your life to be interrupted, you don’t want to be inconvenienced, but look at Jesus who was constantly being interrupted and yet never frustrated by those who sought Him out. He always had time for them, to listen and to love them. Jesus who left the Beauty of Heaven to come be with us on Earth at Christmas time.

So don’t be isolated, be present in the moment and pray that God opens your eyes to opportunities all around you to share His love and hope with those who are in need, regardless of your circumstance.

May you know Gods love surrounding you in this Season and may you go into 2022 ready to shine for Him.