Page 135 - Herioter 2020

Volkswagen and Apple are no longer the Appreciation Ob-La-Di,
largest companies in the world, instead
organisations including the Marine This virus shocks us all in different ways, Ob-La-Da
Conservation Society, the Rainforest
Alliance and the World Wildlife Fund have but I think what frightens us most is the
the largest revenues anyone has ever simple speed and the lack of symptoms It’s been 40 days since I could step
seen, helping to piece our planet back you receive, and because of this, the outside freely. Yet, life wasn’t exactly
together. whole of the UK is on lockdown. No- normal in those weeks before then
one ever thinks they are going to end either. I was constantly scrubbing my
Most office jobs have moved online, up in prison. You, cramped up against
resulting in empty roads and a significant hands raw, checking the news and
decrease in air pollution. Fewer nitrous walls without the slightest hint of wind working up to four hours after school
oxides are being emitted by vehicle or the warmth of the sun. Rubbish! And to prepare my art coursework to submit
exhausts and less carbon dioxide is being yet, that is where most of us are. The in the ‘highly unlikely’ chance that my
produced because of the decline in walls are always there, foreboding and exams would be cancelled. Whatever
deforestation and usage of fossil fuels. We ominous. However, there is a way to normal is, 2020 certainly is far from it. I
have now seen how incredibly important see through those walls, no matter how am one of billions of people all over the
free healthcare is. It has become another thick they are – your window opens globe who have had their lives put on
one of our major missions to determine more treasures than you could possibly pause, without any idea as to how long
that everyone in the world has free imagine, like the sweet smell of flowers, for. For many, they have been stripped
access to medical services. or a gentle breeze. of their purpose, and are sitting around
Environmental classes are now mandatory Other treasures stay awhile, like a small every day thinking, ‘what now?’ I could
in schools. Being forced to slow down for fledgling waiting impatiently for a snack, wallow in self-pity if I wanted to. It feels
all those months helped us realise how or a butterfly selecting flowers to feed like I need to more often than it doesn’t,
important our planet really is and now from. At first, all of these things sound but I have to remind myself that I don’t
everybody has come together to help boring and pointless, but then, something
restore the Earth. The coronavirus finally grabs you, pulls at you, screams at you to have it the worst. Not even close.
made us realise that we were the Earth’s stay and wait, and more than often the Every cloud has a silver lining. Cliché,
virus. tussle is worth it: you have a vision of but true. I can say one thing and that
Elizabeth Kelly (S4) the world in a different way. There is no is when life starts to slowly phase back
havoc, no desperate rush to go to school, to normality, I won’t take everything I
no traffic, and for us that feels unnatural have for granted anymore. All of us will
and for most of us it is, but just because start to appreciate the little things in life
something feels unnatural doesn’t mean we thought we were always going to be
that it is.
entitled to. I can see the beauty in that.
Although you miss your friends, maybe
you can build new relationships with The Earth seems to be doing some
other things, like the birds? There is no healing too, taking this break for herself.
stronger bond than with nature, even Which begs the question, are we the
if you don’t realise it. Whenever this virus? Perhaps so, but I like to think us
pandemic ends, no-one’s world will ever humans aren’t too bad when we look
be the same, but that is not necessarily out for one another and take a minute
a bad thing. What if your world just got to value what we have. The world has
a little bit bigger? If nature can help you been through worse and we managed to
through hard times like these, maybe you pull through. This time around, there is a
also owe her in the long-term, even if sense of unity as we all want the same
all you are doing is appreciating her that thing. To find a cure. For once humans
little bit more. are fighting something else, and not each

Alex Lintott (S4) other. We are not alone. This is universal.

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