Lockdown has shown the importance of nature and the need for us to nurture each other

Sandra Sampson (Image: Sandra Sampson)

Nature has always been important to me, ever since I was young I have had a great fondness for animals and the unrequited love they show for us humans. In my childhood I was very lucky to own horses, cats, dogs and hamsters.

Nowadays our home is filled with three lovely dogs and the garden is home to our chickens.

Much to my husband’s chagrin I seem to have acquired a new puppy every time one of our children left home.

But much like us humans our pets all have their individual characters and outlooks on life which make them all very unique and distinguishable.

As well as our friends and family our pets are the creatures that have given us unconditional love and support, especially during my husband Phil’s cancer treatment.

I truly believe that one thing lockdown has shown many of us is how important nature is to us humans.

Nature has supported us all in our struggles and nature continues to support us in our lives.

This last period of lockdown has been very difficult for many of us, it occurred during the darkest months of the year and it has had a huge impact on mental health and wellbeing, even those of us who are normally very resilient.

But it is in my nature to always look for the positives, every dark cloud in life has a silver lining. My loveliest memories of this last lockdown will be discovering so many new walks and unbelievable views of our wonderful countryside.

Growing plants from seeds in our greenhouse that came with the house when we moved home last year. So many beautiful dawns and dusks to bracket wonderful days potting and pottering around the garden.

How much do we have to be thankful for in our daily lives that comes at no cost but our time. And that was something we had plenty of during Lockdown, for lockdown allowed many of us to escape the rat race.

This last week has reminded some of us and others have discovered that Prince Philip was a pioneer in conservation and the environment, he loved the outdoors and everything that nature had to offer.

The Prince was a remarkable man and one who I only really got to know in his death. He was a staunch advocate for wildlife and also had a keen eye for natural detail in his paintings. A truly outstanding man who led the Royal Family magnificently and yet so quietly.

He was very special given his troubled start in life, yet he was able to aspire to great things but also relinquish a promising naval career in support of his wife, The Queen.

He had dignity and courage, wisdom and maturity and I can now see his fingerprints on many of the Royal decisions as they navigated through triumph and disaster. I think we as a nation will miss him far more greatly than we think on his passing.

I hope that lockdown will have shown all of us some of the natural wonders that are so accessible to us all and I just hope we can preserve some of the lessons it has forced upon us.

The lack of pollution enabling us to see the night sky again, family gatherings that we now realise are so important to us. Family meals rather than hastily eaten snacks during a brief moment in our busy working lives.

The personal benefit of helping others at their time of need and the strength and reach of communities that had never existed before.

As we begin to break free from the shackles that have restricted us for over a year remember what positives nature has afforded us and try and maintain that natural awareness as the everyday pressures mount and the pace of life increases.