Lockdown Time - Reflection by Canon Ellen

View from the first floor office onto the patio at Canon Ellen’s house

I have no idea if this is something other people have been experiencing but during the lockdown I have been noticing how time feels very different to me. With seemingly no beginning or end the days are punctuated by food, walking the dogs and making sure I stand up from my desk and look far away so I don’t get sore eyes. Time seems to slip away and days slide into another. I call my mum every day and some days I have to check to make sure I haven’t already called her (the one time I did call twice she was freaked out and thought something terrible had happened!).

I am fortunate to have regular prayer times set in my diary with colleagues as well as cathedral worship and other virtual meetings. I am keeping busy with meetings related to the work I do with the diocese including assisting parishes with their social justice work and supporting a number of charities particularly Together Liverpool, Adelaide House, and Micah Liverpool. I have the work I do with the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority supporting the Voluntary Community Faith and Social Enterprise Sector and as an advisor for the Metro Mayor Steve Rotherham. In addition I have had to do some quick learning as I have engaged in some of the resilience work supporting the most vulnerable in the Liverpool City Region. These cells are made up of a group of people tasked with the job of ensuring we are kept safe during lock including borough leads, the health and social care providers, NHS, fire police and other emergency responders, military and the voluntary sector. These meetings were not part of my work before the lockdown but it has become an important new part of my current work and practice.

All the new work and the new way of working have thrown my negotiation of time into chaos. Sometimes it feels like I am either wrestling with a wriggly eel or bouncing on a marshmallow. One thing for sure time feels very different in lockdown. So, this week I have been reflecting on how I use my time in lockdown – trying to make sure it doesn’t run away from me or slip out of control but at the same time allowing new patterns to emerge and being patient with myself.

One of my favourite times of the day is around 4pm as the sun comes round into our back garden. The patio shimmers with light and it is a great time to put the washing out. I am not a sun lover so I am grateful that the trees offer a bit of shade as well. A break on the patio is one of the times I enjoy best each day.

However you are using your time in lockdown I pray that you will find something of the glory of God in the way you are spending your time. I pray you find times for peace and times for joy.  

Canon Ellen

While you're here:
Why not prepare for next Sunday's worship? Our preparation sheet for adults and for children can be accessed by clicking on the Resources tab of this website: https://www.prayerforliverpool.org/prayer-resources.html.