Here in Melbourne we are still experiencing some of the strictest lockdowns and restrictions internationally. The powers that be keep dangling the carrot in our collective faces that they will be eased soon and to keep the faith, just hold on, we are all in this together, only for it to be extended again and again. I speak from experience, it is so disheartening. I can’t read or watch the news without feeling like I want to cry. I understand of course the need for some restrictions to be in place to keep those at risk safe and that other countries are using refrigerated trucks as morgues for their dead. I see the impacts of this virus however I wanted to give some insights in to what the last 6 months have been like here.
It has been 195 days of being “locked down”, of days not being able to visit family here or interstate, of kids not being able to go to school, of parents having to juggle work and homeschool, of not being able to hug friends and family, of not being able to travel outside of our 5km area, of not being able to get necessities, of curfews (until recently), of people not being able to say goodbye to those that are ill or have passed, to mourn with family or attend funerals, of not being able to go to a doctor with the support of a loved one, of elective surgeries being postponed, of not being able to get allied health treatment, 195 days that the collective mental health of the community has been impacted every day, of people taking their lives due to lockdowns, of people losing their homes, income or family members and friends to this pandemic.
People say, Melbourne should do better. To those people I’d like to say many things but for now I think I will stick with diplomacy and say that the majority of us can’t do any better. We have given up our freedoms, we have given up our capacity to leave the house for more than 2 hours a day, we have given up so many things that ease the challenges of every day life that some take for granted which continues to impact physical, mental and spiritual health, as well as livelihoods and the livelihoods of business owners that have had to shut their doors.
Through all of this though I have definitely found that it’s true that though tough times don’t last, tough people do. Those who choose to stand in the face of adversity are forever strengthened and forged by life’s most difficult challenges. We can’t control the hand that life deals us, but we can accept or deny the obstacles placed in our path. At the end of all of this, we will be stronger, more resilient and a more compassionate community together because of the challenges we have faced and will continue to face until this pandemic is controlled. Until then though I will say; stop asking what we did on the weekends, stop telling us what you did with yours, stop saying you can travel about and do whatever you want, stop poking fun at a state that is doing it tough for a laugh at our expense. Be kind and remember that we are all only one circumstance away from being in someone else’s shoes. 🦋
Mr Gibbous and The Wildling 