As a result, I had to remain in Amsterdam for a further day and a half.

Not a disaster, you might think, to have an extra bit of holiday, but I was thoroughly unsettled by the situation because I just wanted to be home.

And for a few hours as I tried to puzzle out how long the fog might last and how long I might have to delay my return to the UK, I felt rootless and lost.

Even at the time, I knew these were ridiculous feelings.

And, on being told there was no way I was flying home that day, I was extremely lucky in being able to return to my brother’s home and to extend our Christmas meet-up.

But it took a while to relax with this extra time on my hands, and it brought home to me just how suddenly and unexpectantly our usual routines can change, and how horrid that can be.

In my case, I arrived back at Norwich airport, safe and sound, just 31 hours later than I should have done. And now of course it’s a mere memory and everything for me has returned to a very nice normal.

I’m really lucky though. My sense of loss was not serious and only temporary.

Unfortunately, some of you reading this may be experiencing life-changes that are dire and be feeling totally lost. I am so sorry if this is the case for you.

I met up with a friend called Angela the other day. She is a maths teacher with two lovely teenage children and is a bright and competent woman. In fact, she’s the sort of person other people look to in a crisis.

Very sadly, her husband is extremely ill with cancer though he remains positive and is having treatment and feels there are grounds for optimism.

But Angela has had to be signed off work, despite loving her job, because she is tearful all the time and no longer feels like herself.

Her mind will not focus on work, because she is so anxious, and all she wants to do is to be with her husband. No wonder she feels unlike her real self – and I’m sure many of you know that feeling and have been through similar crises.

But you don’t need to be in such dreadful straits to feel lost. You can feel it when a romantic relationship comes to an end, or you give up work, or move house, or your children leave home.

And many people of our generation also feel a desperate rootlessness when their own parents die and wonder how they can cope without their mum or dad’s wisdom and love.

So, is there anything you can do if you feel this way and are finding it hard to get through each day?

There is; in fact that there are several things, but you won’t feel like doing them all. However, perhaps one or two of the following suggestions might help you feel slightly better.

*Go regularly for a brisk walk or take some other form of exercise. This will activate “feel good” chemicals in your brain and act as the tonic you need.

*Distract yourself by reading an absorbing novel, or making a cake, knitting a jumper, doing a complicated jigsaw puzzle or braving the elements and tackling some of those unpleasant winter jobs in your garden that need to be done.

*Write a list of your strengths and good characteristics then pin it up somewhere so that each time you think of another point, you can add it. Look at this list several times a day. It will remind you of who you really are and help you regain your sense of identity.

*Have a decluttering session. Unless you’re extremely houseproud you probably have a filing cabinet, a cupboard under the stairs, or a wardrobe or drawers that are begging to be tidied and which you generally ignore. Now could be the time to sort this kind of stuff – especially as you will feel proud at your achievement once you’re done, which will help you feel better about yourself.

*Visualise your life when your current difficulties have altered or disappeared. What will be different? What would you like to do? Is there any way you can begin that process now? Sometimes, you can take small steps towards a new future even while you are suffering badly in the present.

*Don’t carry this alone. Talk to friends, or family, or acquaintances who have been through similar events. Also, do accept any support – practical or emotional – that they offer, which might make things better today.

Finally, do remember that though what is happening to you means your existence may never be the same again, this does not mean you can’t have a good life in the future.

Plenty of us who thought we would never get our sense of self back and feel normal again, have learned, gratefully, that you can.

© Norwich Evening News