I’m tired Boss
Covid 19
A strange pairing. A word and a number. Mere months ago, the combination would have seemed just that.
Covid, 19
A word, a number. Meaningless.
Now however this term, this virus, has become a part of our everyday lives and it carries with it a weight that is more than just meaning. Covid 19 now bears an overarching impact in physical, mental and emotional realms. It is a sickness with serious health implications, it is controversy, it is fear, it is isolation and it is emotionally draining. Financially, for many it has been crippling….on a global scale and it’s not over yet. This crazy word/number combination, this surreal state of being that is readily being termed our ‘new normal’ is here to stay and any sane person should surely be forgiven for feeling somewhat overwhelmed by the current state of the world. Regardless of your belief on government decisions pertaining to this pandemic or perhaps, your beliefs in what might be the reality outside of mainstream media reports, the impacts of the word/number combination covid 19 are undeniably real. People have struggled, countless jobs have been lost, businesses have gone under and people, over one million of them in fact, have died. Our world is a little broken.
Here in New Zealand the response to Covid 19 from the government was swift with a strong focus on preventative measures. From that we have definitely seen and experienced some positives. There was a general sense of banding together as us Kiwi’s tend to do as we entered into our first lockdown period. Streets that were previously heavy in traffic became peaceful and instead of cars, walkers, runners and families became the common sight. This also fed into a stronger sense of community in many areas. Neighbours that may have been strangers suddenly became familiar faces, waves were exchanged, conversations held from a distance and there was an overall sense of connection with everyone sharing similar experiences. Businesses were forced into implementing structures that allowed people to work from home. From this many found that not only was there no loss in productivity but actually, an increase and a better sense of well being and happiness amongst employees. Whanau connected. People rested. In the new found peace, wildlife and plants flourished amongst the lack of carbon fuels and condensed human environments. It almost felt as if the earth was sending us her guide to how we can fix some of what we’ve broken around the world.
I’m tired boss. Mostly, I’m tired of people being ugly to each other - Jon Coffey - The Green Mile
Sadly though, there has also been the types of behaviour that are not of those to be proud of. We have seen the slandering of politicians with useless derogatory statements that serve no productive purpose. There has been fear mongering and criticisms. There were fights in supermarket and liquor store lines where elderly were pushed aside in throes of anger and desperation. Then there was the unforgiveable ostracising of people and communities. Perhaps the worst case of this was related to a Pasifika family who contracted Covid 19 as it it resurfaced in NZ. The amount of misinformation and vitriol that surrounded this story was heartbreaking. Baseless rumours that were insidious and social media comments that were ignorant, spiteful and downright racist. It is shameful. It is also behaviour that has stretched beyond this story with many abusive, isolating comments and actions slung carelessly about the country. This is not who we are, it is not who we need to be and it does nothing to steer us towards a path of fixing ourselves so that we might slowly mend the world.
But we believe there is light and a pathway forwards. It is also not a complicated one at it’s core.
The White Chapel Jak whanau are incredibly lucky in that we are consistently exposed to the best in human nature and this has never been more evident than through this pandemic. The level of support we have received from you all has been monumental. Gifts of beer, bubbles, wine, merchandise purchases, donations and love. Most overwhelming however, has been the aroha in the messages and emails we have received. You have shown the sheer brilliance in the shine of humanity at it’s most beautiful. You have filled our hearts with joy and in doing so, you have helped us through our journey and personal challenges that covid has instilled in the music industry and inspired us to share love with others. Surely, this is who we are and how we move forwards together. These acts of kindness, of love could be spread quite simply beyond any bounds if we just seek to do so. We can do this in a way that costs nothing but a little effort. A chat with and a thank you to your courier driver who has worked tirelessly through every lock down whilst many have been at home connecting with whanau. Watch the smile this adds to their day. Your grocery delivery person, the local dairy owner, supermarket checkout staff, mechanics, all the unsung heroes whom have driven us through our lockdown periods with hard work and personal sacrifice. A smile, a thank you. An acknowledgement. The acts can be small but repeated, their effects huge.
We need to fix the world but just like any relationship, we need to first fix ourselves. Maybe the bandaid we start with is sharing simple acts of kindness. You have already shown us this works. You have helped us start to heal. Now let’s go out and heal a few more wounds together.
Covid 19
A strange pairing. A word and a number. A global pandemic. A test.
A choice.
Do we choose to heal ourselves and mend the world?
Yes,
we do.
The world is a little broken, she can’t remember her face
Her keepers are a touch unwell, they’ve lost sight of their place
But the broken could be fixed, the earth might find her zen
If only her keepers could unite, to make them well again - WCJ
