If you are anything like my family you have just come through a fairly relaxed Easter. We hung out, we walked the puppy, we ate too much chocolate, we got a little bit of housework done. We even got to watch a couple of movies together as a family which was cool and doesn't happen as much when you have older kids.

It's starting to feel a bit like some weird movie. It's like any moment the director will yell cut and life will return to normal. Any one remember the Truman Show? or am I really showing my age now?

I think my brain has finally managed to catch up with the fact that this is not a movie. The director is not going to come running across with his little clapboard thing yelling cut. We don't get to return to our normal lives - at least not right now.

I am a pretty practical person. I process the event and then I work out what needs to happen to move forward. I come up with an action plan to make things work in the best way possible. I am also a more introverted person so at the beginning of all of this, I didn't really expect to feel the way I have.

As the social distancing and restrictions continue on, I am noticing a real grief at things that are not the way they were. I loved online Easter Church, but I was really sad to not be celebrating Easter in person with my church family. I miss being able to ask a friend to a cafe for a coffee. I have a friend who has had some amazing news and even though I'm not a hugger and actually neither is she, I'm so sad that I can't just give her a huge hug. My sister is pregnant and in another state and it's sad that we can't just plan travel.

I have noticed that this season means I need to be so much more intentional about staying in contact. We are so incredibly lucky to have the technology that we do. We can video chat, we can call, we can text, message on Facebook. We can send letters and cards.

I have seen some really beautiful photos posted recently of people dropping off baked goods at friends doors. Our Church Kids department dropped off Easter Care packages on the doorsteps of our kids on Easter Sunday. My daughter wrote a note and dropped it in our neighbours letterbox and he wrote back to us. We have never met him, but it turns out he is an Elderly man who lives alone. The kids went over and met him Sunday (staying a safe distance away) and gave him his only chocolate egg of the day. As much as I am sad about not having my regular social interactions, this does give us an opportunity to think outside the square a little in how we care for other people.

There are so many ways that we can intentionally look after each other at a time when we can't see each other the way we used to. I can guarantee you, if you are feeling sad or grieving the loss of "normal" that there are many people in your life feeling the same. Reach out to a friend, do something special for someone. Look after yourself and make sure that you talk to someone if you need to. We are all processing a new kind of normal and we need to look after each other while we do it.