This month I was halfway through writing a piece about how much I was enjoying face-to-face meetings again, and generally being around people without feeling like I had to micro-manage my every move.
Not that I am usually a slob or anything, or have poor hygiene or other glaringly unsociable habits, I was just feeling a bit more carefree than I had previously allowed myself to be.
Being labelled “the weakest link” in your own household will do that to you, even if it was all in jest (sort of).
I also had to acknowledge the irony of my tendency to avoid meetings, shopping centres, waiting rooms, and other general “milling around” type activities, and yet here I was, stopping to consciously look around at all the people – taking a real look for once – enjoying the moment and thinking “yes, this is my crew.”
And then bang! Back in lockdown, which is where I sit now, for how long I don’t know, hopefully only the seven days as advertised.
But no matter the circumstances I’m still lucky, as I have space, everything I need within easy reach, and for the foreseeable future, an income that doesn’t rely on my being in any particular place at a given time or day. Yes, a key member of our household during 2020 is now gone and the hole is glaring (see page 21), but we don’t lack for anything, a privileged place to be.
Acknowledging this may not be the case for everyone, I hope you do OK through June and the impact for you and your family is minimal.
Stay well, stay safe.
Again.
Derek Green,
Managing Editor (editor@thewestsider.com.au)
