The edge…

The last two years have been a rollercoaster of emotions, not just for me but literally the entire population of the world – we’re on the edge.

The enduring legacy is that many people are on the edge emotionally.

Every day we’re bombarded with continuing bad news about Covid, not just locally but globally through the variety of media and social media channels.  We can’t seem to escape or shake off this constant “in your face” coverage.

It’s clear that it isn’t going away… at least anytime soon.

So how do we care for one another?  How do we help those that are “on the edge” emotionally with all that is going on around us?  ❤️

For the most part we all put on a brave face and keep going but lurking just below the surface is a sense of dread and despair that is unspoken.

Saying out loud that you’re on the edge emotionally hasn’t always been met with support and understanding.  In fact, far from it.

Often, although less in the past couple of years its been met with terms like “toughen up”, or just “just get over it” without any real understanding of what this means to those going through difficult emotional times.

Without light at the end of the tunnel so to speak it’s impossible to just feel better…

We need to accept the fact that the past two plus years have been very difficult, even on the strongest of us.

All I can say is to keep some level of personal sanity is “you can only do you”.  ❤️

We must be patient (with my inner voice screaming when will it ever end?).  It will eventually run its course… for however long that takes.

For those of us who are parents we constantly worry about our kids in the best of times, however, in times like this there is an added dimension of concern.

I’m not just talking about their immediate physical health, but also for their long term mental and emotional health.

For the past two plus years they’ve been impacted at a time in their lives when they should be out socializing and enjoying every aspect of life.

But instead, they’re stuck in this conflicting world of isolation and seemingly never-ending cycle of gloom and despair with only their phones and social media for interactions.

This is not healthy and least of all for our kids.

Will they have become so accustomed to this type of life that they then retreat in this introverted lifestyle even more when we find our way out of the current situation?

I’ve personally struggled at times, as we all have. 

There is no question that covid spurred me into making the long-term decision to move back to Australia.

I knew I couldn’t handle another long, cold, grey winter in isolation.  I felt like my mental state was just too fragile to cope with it…

If I was going to be stuck in isolation, then I needed a far more temperate climate with sunshine to be able to deal with being alone.

I’m mentally and emotionally glad I made the decision to move when I did, however there has been collateral damage in that I didn’t see my son Zach for 7 months and still am yet to see my daughter Sam in person after 15 months and counting.

Video calls are great and all, but not the same as in person.

Yes, I realize my predicament is self-inflicted… so no need to feel sorry for me.

I know that once the Australian government opens back up its borders that not only will I have the opportunity to be reunited with my daughter Sam (can’t wait!), but also have my fiancé Judy finally join me here in Australia.  ❤️

I honestly don’t think any of us imagined, in our wildest dreams that it would drag into a third year.

What I miss most is the loss of physical touch.

I don’t know about you but there is nothing better than a long and generous hug.

My mental health is better since moving to Queensland and being surrounded by a tropical paradise, proximity to the Pacific Ocean and rainforests which is important.  I no longer feel spiking anxiety for no reason, nor am I consumed by doom and despair.

Clearly all for the good!   I feel fortunate cos I know lots of people are doing it tough…  ❤️

Prior to the pandemic I had planned to spend my birthday in Tanzania and Botswana on a game reserve.  Later in 2020 I was in the planning stage of a hiking expedition to Patagonia in southern Argentina and Chile.

Well, they’re still on my list, but first things first.

Getting Sam and Judy here is number one priority.  We’ll see what transpires once they are here and enjoying the Australian sub-tropical climate.

I know it’s easy for me to say, “hang in there”, when parts of the world are in crisis but I truly feel confident that as this year progresses we will learn how to live with this virus and begin to piece our prior lives back to some level of normalcy.

Until next week – thinking of you all and sending you a huge virtual hug!

Ciao