The day started off with a quick cuppa while you got ready to take your best mates for a walk, yes, that is right your husband and the dog. Sometimes , one of you would sleep in and the other would walk the dog . Then breakfast for the cat and the returning walkers would be waiting.
The start of a full and happy day. Discussion over breakfast as to what we would do after the household chores had been done. Shopping , or a trip , or a visit , or a visitor for morning tea or lunch. Perhaps a movie or a good book to enjoy before it was time to gather the best mate again for a walk down the beach. Or perhaps the afternoon was taken up with an appointment with the Dentist or some other Professional. Life was full and varied with plenty of activity and lots of conversation.
Turn the clock forward to 2020 and 2021 and what have we got? First they scared us all into fears of catching a virus they called Covid 19. No hugging, no contact , no hand shaking , kisses totally banned. In fact steer clear of everyone and everything to do with your friends and family. Then it got even worse, the "Powers that Be" decided to curtail activities and gatherings. Then "Lockdowns " , that meant stay in your house, apartment , Unit, no contact with anyone except for an hour's exercise or go grocery shopping.
Where I live we have not had such strict rules and regulations , we have had the masks and can you imagine anything more stupid than making people wear masks when they live beside the ocean . The most beautiful air in the world, salt , ocean air!!!!! Then in some places they actually closed the beaches down and people were fined if they dared to sneak a walk in the fresh clean atmosphere.
Schools were closed and think what that has done to the young ones. After School holidays the kids are eager to get back and catch up with their mates and resume a happy routine. Just imagine what these long periods of closure have done to them. Suicides and mental distress .!!!! Surely something different could have been found. Outside activities , plenty of sport , breathing good clean air should have been the top priority , instead of that they even made some of the young ones put on a mask.
I could go on and on about what is going on and happening everywhere, but, one of the worst things is the
separation of people. Confining families and thinking that arguments would not occur , domestic violence , kids bearing the brunt of bad tempers , frustrated parents. . Then you have the people who live alone …. who end up very lonely , lucky if the shop assistant passes the time of day, lucky if they met a neighbour to say hello to. That is if they live in an area that is friendly. Putting off yearly appointments , so even health issues are being neglected.
What a lovely thought , I remember when.... Sunday afternoon and the car pulls up and out jumps the visitors , hugs all round , usually a couple of kids who rush to say hello to the dog and have a nurse of the cat.
Writing this makes it seem even worse what has happened.
The lovely world we used to know has gone , we can only dream and remember and desperately hope that good times will return . We want a happy and fun filled world again, where hugs and kisses are freely given and returned , and people are free to enjoy the lovely place we live in . I think all of us would agree that to turn the clock back and return to a happy time would be what we all would love.
I think that we are tired of fear and want to start living again.