Giving thanks
THE coronavirus and isolation has changed every aspect of our lives. Nothing seems to have escaped its impact. During this period of uncertainty, many of us have clung to parts of our pre-pandemic routine in an attempt to maintain some stability. For others, this strange period has invited the uptake of activities we normally wouldn’t consider.
Over the past two months the number of joggers, walkers, prampushers and dog owners has increased. With a much-reduced suite of available activities, a simple stroll along our water’s edge has become precious to many.
And in this new-found community of early morning risers there is a distinct sense of solidarity in this moment of national challenge. Nods of greeting to faces that have become familiar are the norm. Names may not be known but the appreciation of the moment and this new ritual is shared.
It provides a sense of comfort in being from Geelong and belonging to this town.
As isolation is being experienced around the world, a documented phenomenon has been a renewed interest in and appreciation of the backyard. Nature is untouched by COVID-19. And people around the globe are reporting how birds and insects, trees and flowers are providing a surprising degree of comfort in the midst of troubled times. We are seeing our world with fresh eyes.
For many in Geelong that backyard is Corio Bay. The appreciation of its beauty is grounded in a routine that for some has always been there and for others has just begun. Yet this routine and this backyard has been an anchor that has helped in navigating through this most remarkable time. For me, even my morning run has felt different during COVID.
I start by running through the East Geelong Golf Club which, like all golf courses, had its fairways closed to golfers for many weeks. One early morning back in March I witnessed the sad sight of ground staff removing the pins from the holes, signalling that for hundreds of local golfers their happy Saturday mornings with friends would be no more. East Geelong looked bare and forlorn.
But while the course lost golfers, hardworking ground staff continued to keep it in good repair. Bunkers were raked, grass was mowed. And gradually because of the absence of golfers combined with autumn rains, the course started to sparkle. The pride of the ground staff shone through. The mowers even started to crosshatch the fairways.
Before long East Geelong was glistening like some famed prestige course you’d see in a magazine.
A little further along is beautiful Eastern Beach. With the boardwalk closed to the public, the emptiness stirs the imagination, and for a moment looking at the art deco features stripped of contemporary crowds you could imagine what it was like filled with Geelong swimmers during a summer in the 1930s.
And with no traffic on the bay, another set of visitors has appeared. There is a touch of magic in beginning your day by watching a pod of dolphins explore the moored boats. I have seen dolphins in the bay before, but never so close to the beach. They look happy, curious and self-assured.
I sometimes feel we don’t appreciate how truly stunning Corio Bay really is. The north-facing waterfront around the city is rare in urban Australia. During April and May a number of perfectly still mornings provided the setting for spectacular sunrises over glassy smooth water. Reflections merged sea and air as a single canvas for a blaze of light heralding the arrival of the new day’s sun. For those engaging in their morning exercise it was impossible not to stop and simply stare at the wonder.
COVID-19 has been experienced very differently by all of us. For some it has involved only a mild disruption that has been novel. For many more it has been completely devastating. There is no doubt many in our community are experiencing a great deal of pain and hardship because of it.
But as we begin to re-imagine our lives in the post COVID-19 world, one lesson we can all take forward is to make sure that we never take the beauty that surrounds us everywhere for granted. Let’s not let the resumption of everyday life diminish the beauty of our surrounds and that includes the magnificent Corio Bay.
Richard Marles is the deputy leader of the federal Labor Party and member for Corio.