We are not meant to live in isolation. What makes us healthy and whole are the connections we form with one another.  With our families. Our friends. Our colleagues and our community…  The thing we need the most to feel healthy has become harder to get.

After more than 30 years in the field of social work, I know one thing to be true. We do not need to be victims to our situation. We have choices to make, each and every day about how we want to live our lives. How we choose to show up for ourselves and each other.

One of the hardest things about this time for me has been the loss of travel, the opportunity to explore. If you know me, you know I love to travel. Give me a passport and a seat on a plane or in a car and I’m on my way, ready for what comes next. I thought it might be fun to travel, however virtually, around the US and yes, even abroad, to visit with people and hear how they’re doing during this difficult time. Over the next few weeks I’d like to bring you a glimpse of what life is like for our friends and neighbors in other places.

Today we travel to a small country village in Ireland called Kiltale to meet Hugh.

Welcome Hugh. Tell us how things are where you are. Kiltale, in county Meath, is a rural area about 40 minutes drive from Dublin. There are lots of fields and farms in the locality. The sense of community would be very strong in the area, and it is very much a case of everyone knowing everyone! In comparison to Dublin, where I was staying before COVID-19 became an issue. Things are calmer and quieter in Kiltale and the pace of life is much slower.

How have you been affected by the pandemic personally?  I have been affected like everyone has,  but in comparison to others I have very little to complain about. None of my family members or friends have been diagnosed with COVID-19, and though their work has suffered in some ways, none of my immediate family have been made unemployed. All things considered, I consider myself lucky in the context of what others in Ireland and across the world have experienced. 

Has it affected your work?  Home life?  I play rugby professionally and that area of my life has most definitely been affected. We were set to travel to South Africa to play two games but it was cancelled at the last minute due to concerns over the spread of COIVD-19. We haven’t been together as a team since then, and it doesn’t look like we will gather again anytime soon. I am also studying Economics in Trinity College Dublin. All my lectures and tutorials were moved online and I recently completed my end of year exams which were also online. It was strange not to sit the exams in the typical fashion but the college made the transition to online assessments very smooth and hassle free.

I usually live in an apartment in Dublin with my brother but before lockdown began we both came back to our family home in Meath. It took a short period to transition to living back in my family home again but it is much easier to spend lockdown where I am now compared to a small apartment in Dublin.

What has been the hardest thing for you to deal with? The lack of routine and structure was a big challenge at the outset. I am very used to my day being built around our team training schedule and my college work but that has all changed. I think many people struggled with this at the start of lockdown and it highlights the importance of having  a purpose and clear intention when you get up in the morning. 

What have you appreciated during this period? One of the main benefits of this period has been the time I’ve got to spend with my family. Both my parents, my sister and my second brother were also living at home in Meath so it has been great to be able to spend time together as a family again. If this whole situation hadn’t transpired we likely never would have lived together as a family again. It has helped me to reconnect with all members of my immediate family, something I am very grateful for.

What are you doing to keep yourself emotionally healthy during this time?  What activities/practices have you been engaging in? We still have to complete our own training sessions throughout the week so that we are prepared to play again when lockdown is lifted. The physical exercise involved is very beneficial from a mental health viewpoint as it gets you out of your own head! I like planning and organising by nature and so my immediate response to this strange situation was to plan in detail what my day and week would look like. This has been very beneficial as it ensurs that I have a a clear intention every morning. It provides a clear purpose for my actions and prevents me from thinking too far into the future.   

Do you have any recommendations for others? I’m not sure is this a recommendation but I think during such an exceptional period it is important that our responsibilities and duties as a part of our wider communities are at the forefront of our minds.

Thank you Hugh, for inspiring us today.

Would you like to be featured in our guest interview posts? We want to hear from you! Email me at suzanne@suzannemaggio.com.