Spring is firmly in the Australian air, as the thunder claps outside, big things are happening in the world. Trump has lost the election, although he is clinging on by his manicured fingernails. The long awaited "vaccine" is here, we hope. Pfizer has announced a 90% success rate for its coronavirus vaccine. Its November now, and somehow we lost a year, the much awaited nicely sounding 2020, is almost gone.
I think it tested us all, I don't know anyone who escaped without some kind of challenge. Families were forced apart, divided by state lines and deep oceans. We have all realised the things we once took for granted, travel, free movement and health.
For art and artists there was a sudden pause, almost a full stop as theatres and galleries closed for almost eight months. Europe is seeing a resurgance of the virus while Australia is approaching Summer and hopefully coming out the other side.
Despite all the challenges and stresses of this year, I think I found another level of enjoying the simple things in life, especially nature and all its fascinations.
We moved out of the city in the beginning of the year and after many years of apartment living we suddenly had a very big garden, with a nature reserve behind. It has been wonderful to reconnect with plants and growing seasons. Just watching the bird families of the magpies and plovers fight over territory and nesting rights in our garden has been fascinating. I realised we are not much different to these greedy birds. We as humans squabble over stuff and land, whether its in a shop or in a traffic jam, the same squaking and flapping goes on. As I wasn't rushing around as much, I witnessed some amazing sunsets and starry nights. I was in many ways a captive audience, to nature. I observed how it is full of rhythm and purpose, only disturbed by man and his big concreting machines and thoughts of 'progression". I wonder now if in the guise of moving forward we were really moving backwards and now after coming to a complete halt, I hope we examine our values and learn to protect the natural world that feeds and sustains us.