How to show compassion for your neighbours during the pandemic (COVID - 19)
I would like to talk about instances where showing compassion is the right thing to do. This applies to single parents, homeless people, over 50’s and anyone affected by COVID-19 in relation to their rent. We all know that lots of people lost their jobs due to the pandemic. Is it not time for us to start to be human and value a person more than money or material?
The pandemic has affected all areas of our lives, but we saw an increase of people who were and are still struggling to pay their rent. We all agree that the housing sector needs to recover, which means landlords have to pay theirs mortgages, banks have to be able to lend, and in the middle, the tenants who are feeling the pain and paying their rent regardless of their misfortune. Some have been made redundant or lost their jobs through no fault of their own. Still, they cannot live in their rental property for free and not pay the rent.
The government is doing its best to help both tenants and landlords by introducing new guidance during the pandemic, listed under the GOV.UK website. Read more at : Covid19 rent guidance for full guidance. Meanwhile, some of us have been relatively lucky to still have a roof over our head, a job to go to, and a family who loves and support us. We should look around us, count our blessings and help others if we can.
Feeling compassionate is something deep in ourselves. We need to feel it to act on it. To be able to feel others pain, we need to see and listen to those affected. We are all living comfortably in our homes and not aware of what other are going through out there. It Is maybe the ideal opportunity to try to know our neighbours. We may be happily surprised at what we may have in common, or maybe it is also time to make peace with our neighbours. Whatever we chose to do, we should make sure that we do it happily.</>
How to we show compassion for a single parent, a homeless person or an over 50’s tenant who is struggling to get a place to live or maintaining his/her living space? Our compassion should drive us to feel and share their pain and suffering regardless of their ethnicity, religion or social background.
Before the pandemic lot of tenants were struggling to keep up with their rent, but now that they are confronted with the harsh reality of COVID-19, the financial strain is taking its toll. As a nation, we can do more. There are simple steps that we can take to help. A knock at a neighbour’s door can go a long way especially if there are elderly people living alone or single parents working hard to give a child or children a decent life in this difficult environment.
In all cases maintaining a property can be daunting when you are financially limited. Where children are involved, their living space should be free of vermin, mice and other insects that could endanger their lives. It is vital to make sure that the property is regularly checked and cleaned to protect them. It is also true for the elderly living in our community. The government and local council do their very best to help. But we can also do our part. We can make sure that they do not feel lonely by spending just a few minutes on their doorstep for a chat, it’s something positive we can do. A single visit once a month will not cost anything. It takes just 15 minutes to check on an elderly person and make sure that they are not ignored. A bit of compassion can go a long way.
As for the homeless, you may assist them with donations such as blankets, warm cups of tea or coffee, and most of all talk to them. You can find out more about their circumstances. and you may realise that most of them are genuine. If you can feel their pain, stop, and listen to them. If after listening you think that the person is not genuine, you can always walk away. But before going passed a homeless person in the street, ask yourself: Is there anything I can do?
