There is little to do these days. The virus has struck fear into the stoutest hearts, and most of us have changed our lifestyles to suit the times.

Nature, unaware of our concerns, continues her work of the seasons. I wake each morning to another glorious day, the room filled with sunshine and the trees outside my window glowing with health and beauty. I go up to admire the pots on my roof. The flowers are dazzling in the morning light. The lilies and hydrangea, red roses and petunias, and myriad other beautiful plants blossom on, ever constant in their beauty.

I cut lilies of different colours for my vases, although we get no visitors nowadays. The green chillies are so abundant that I return to the kitchen each day with my little basket laden with them, along with sprigs of basil for the pesto, rosemary for the lamb, and mint for my tea and lemonade.

I have a pile of books on every table in the house; a book to suit every mood. Murder, politics, history, and occasionally, romance. Romance in particular, seems hard to relate to at a time when people are fighting to survive.

There is much time for introspection now. I wonder, fruitlessly, why the world is so beset with disasters. Everyone has brilliant theories: Malthus, Darwin, Jared Diamond, and conspiracy theorists. In "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson, we were warned, many years ago, that this world would not survive the ravages wrought upon it by humanity.

For some, the bounty of this world is meaningless; their only priority being how to exploit nature, its trees and its resources, oil, minerals, and water for money. For others, the same bounty is ignored, lost as they are in dreams of the Paradise to come. For me personally, this world is a gift; the reward of the Almighty to us, if only we can appreciate it, and to live and work in a spirit of gratitude and sincere intentions, accepting what each day brings.

Illness, poverty, hardship, and death are random, not selective. We have been given something of inestimable value, the gift of life, but everything comes with a price.

Sitting in my home as a homemaker, I observe the antics of powerful people all over the world, people who can change things for the better, but are not inclined to for their own gains. I see each day how many of them compromise common moral standards in order to gain wealth, and yet more wealth, even in the face of this virus that threatens death, worldwide recession, and other tragedies; most of the burden of which will be suffered by the poor, the innocent, and the powerless.

In the end, six yards of cloth will be all people can take with them: not the profits from the stock market, nor the riches from their hotels and golf courses, nor the pleasure of seats in important governing bodies.

God's gifts to us were intelligence and free will. What we do with these gifts will be our responsibility and only ours.