Dear Sir or Madam,

I write to confirm that I’ve officially cancelled 2020, it’s been an absolute pig of a year and I will not be adding it to my age this year.

COVID-19 has had us retreating into our homes in fear and panic. The whole world has had to adapt to a new normal as our emotions staggered from uncertainty to boredom and despair.

Those of us lucky enough not to have been made unemployed or furloughed, who haven’t lost our homes, nor battled COVID and its after effects or become bereaved have struggled. I cannot begin to imagine the pain others must be experiencing.

This sudden and unexpected free time with nowhere to go has a lot to answer for. As if we needed confirmation that loneliness and social isolation was bad for our health. The British national pastime of queuing set new records and the fights over toilet tissue and bread making items was prime time viewing.

We’ve had to adapt to life on Zoom, catching glimpses or downright exploiting the views of friends’ and colleagues’ living quarters, wondering if they’re fully dressed or just wearing pyjama bottoms out of camera shot.

To be fair, it’s not been all bad and it’s made me more appreciative of being able to connect with friends and family near and far, helping my neighbours, enjoying sunlight on my skin and listening to birdsong – what a rare thing in London.

But still I say 2020 – What a washout!

Sandra Rennie

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