22/52: A new wave of hope and change
Updated: May 28, 2020
There's a long way to go before we can look back and say "Remember Covid-19? That was weird!" However, we are on the slow path back to normality and getting to this point as quickly as we have is the result of a massive community effort and broad adoption of significant changes to our everyday lives. I'm keen to know, which of these changes are you going to maintain?
I think it's fair to say hope is in the air. It's electric.
Last Saturday morning in Melbourne it was a brilliant Autumn day full of sunshine and good vibes. After a week of wet weather, Dan Andrews told us we could now go out and see friends and family - a fifth reason to leave the house. As I cycled along Domain Rd by the Botanical Hotel, there was a palpable lift in community spirit (and the number of people on the street!).
This week in Canberra our PM Scott Morrison delivered his JobMaker speech to prepare us for a transformation of the Industrial Relations landscape, a revamp of skills and trades, energy policy and more - all with the hope of kickstarting our economy to 'get it out of the ICU'. Dan has also told us how restrictions in Victoria will continue to ease over the coming months...oh, and some of the kids went back to school today! Suddenly, there's hope and change at every turn.
Dropping our youngest at the school gates on Tuesday morning (she was very brave), I realised I don't want everything to go back to 'normal' though. As hard as it has been, there have been many positives to come from this pandemic for me: I've done more of the housework, grown closer to each of our kids, cleaned up the shed, gotten more sleep, learnt new technologies, developed new business plans and strategies, connected with a wider business community and network, and I've done a Wednesday walk to work ('Iso in the office') each week to avoid public transport.
So as we ease our way out of restrictions, I'm preparing for more changes to both home and work-life but I'm looking forward to maintaining some of the positives that have come from this Covid fog.