IN MY OWN WORDS: Eder Sarabia

Yesterday, March 24, 2020, was not a normal day.

The normal thing would have been to get up at 8 in the morning and take the car to the Ciutat Esportiva. Upon arrival, having gone to our dressing room and, after putting on my training clothes, I would've gone up to the dining room to have breakfast. There, Alicia, Julio and Iván (those that serve us so well every day) would've said good morning and I would've met the coach with his bowl of fruit. We would've commented on something about what we had done on the day off (myself, surely, a good bike ride), and then fondly remembered that it was four years since Johan's death. Then we would've started talking about what we were going to do in the 11 o'clock training session as well as planning for what would be a different week because of the international matches.

The normal thing would be to do a light session, since it would've been 48 hours since our match against Leganés had passed, and that would've given us the following few days to put in more some harder drills and to continue working correctly whilst reinforcing some aspects of the game (despite not being able to count on the internationals).

But no, none of that happened. Because yesterday was not a normal day.

I woke up later than usual, and with my legs a little heavy from the training I had done the day before in my living room, connected with some of my friends via FaceTime. I put on some music and made breakfast. Afterwards, I spent a time in front of the computer, reviewing the team's last few matches.

And so it is that we are experiencing a difficult moment, particularly those who are suffering from the cursed virus, to those who have lost loved ones, to those who are fighting it on the front line, or to those who, due to the consequences of the pandemic, have lost their jobs and don't know what their future holds. To all of them, my most sincere appreciation and solidarity.

For much of society 'alone' has meant a change of plans and staying at home, confined, barely being able to go and throw the rubbish out, to go shopping or to take the dog out. In my case, I have been unable to ride a bicycle (one of my passions), without being able to be with my loved ones and, mainly, without being able to enjoy my work and that day-to-day that I spoke of at the beginning and that I love so much. Something I'm passionate about and what makes me so happy.

This situation is depriving me of doing almost everything that fills me with joy. But my decision has been to face it with humour and a positive attitude. Because I know that now I have an opportunity to attend to other things that are also very important and to which I don't dedicate the time they deserve in my daily routine.

Before eating, I played a few games of chess and was learning a little Catalan with an online course that I signed up for. I cooked a delicious pasta salad (one of my specialties) and then I lay down on the sofa for a little nap. I spent the afternoon watching the legendary stage of the '91 Tour in which Indurain wore the yellow jersey for the first time, making plans for when all this was over and watching a couple of chapters of the series that I'm now hooked on.

At 8pm CET, as every day, it was time to go out on the balcony to demonstrate, as a society, our feelings, our support and our admiration. I applauded all those people who take care of us in these very difficult moments and are playing, for all of us, their particular Champions League final.

Afterwards, and already wearing my trainers, I went back to using my living room as an improvised gym, 'accompanied' by my friends and with some music, which from time to time encouraged me to do a little dance.

In the evening, I had a delicious French omelette and grilled chicken breasts and I went on the phone with my parents and my sister. Before going to bed, reviewing what had been my day, I spent a long time writing this article. Thinking that today, it's been twelve days (since the lockdown), since the last normal day.

But the reality is that, I have had many weeks, many months and many years without experiencing ‘normal’ days. Because I know that I am privileged. And this difficult situation that we are going through is making me value everything, if possible, much more. To be more aware of everything I had, and I will soon recover, and everything I have. It's teaching me to live differently and to continue being a positive, optimistic and happy person.