An appreciation for life’s simple things
What an incredible journey these last few weeks have been. While we are not out of the woods yet, level 2 will see a return of so many things that pre-Covid we all took somewhat for granted. January this year, as I sat in some Hawke’s Bay sunshine on the deck of a local restaurant, I didn’t spare a moment to appreciate how nice it was to be opposite a friend, drink in hand and meal on the way. Now it seems like a special treat that something once so frivolously done, so easily achieved is once again becoming a possibility.
The daily drive to school in the afternoon, my children running smiling from their classrooms after just another day at school, would sometimes feel like a chore. Weeks would go by without a second thought to how hard those teachers were working, how much thought they put into daily lessons and how much they cared for kids of Hawke’s Bay.
Children’s sport on a Saturday, all the dedicated coaches and referees tirelessly giving up their time to ensure a fun morning out.
Sitting in the crowd at Elton John, a friendly neighbour passing over a little fruit salad — that tasted strangely like something a little stronger than just the fruit juice — there wasn’t a minute I thought about handwashing, hygiene or not touching my face after.
I certainly had no idea it would be the last time I sat in a large crowd of people for what still seems like a long time to come. What a pleasure it was to round out a favourite song applauding and cheering with thousands of others, not consumed by thoughts on how we could physically distance on the way out, or in the bathroom line.
I’m truly hopeful that moving forward in alert level two I can start to look at some of the day to day things I took for granted in a new light. The idle chit chat with the other people in the office, walking into a restaurant and taking a seat with my wife and the ability to hop in the car for a long weekend, drive to a campground and set up for a couple of days relaxing will all take on a new meaning in a postCovid lockdown world, and perhaps I’ll be able to hold on to a little more appreciation for the small things that so easily slipped by unnoticed.