Covid: restrictions, protests and ...
Thursday, 26 August 2021
| John Kidson
I can well understand some people's vehement protests against what they see as dictatorial, even 'fascist', enforcements of lockdown restrictions in city and suburbs. For such people, having their personal freedom in any way curtailed is simply part of the 'raw deal' they've always been handed. Their current cry of 'freedom!' echoes through centuries of human struggle.
Certainly, lockdown impacts us all. My twelve-year-old grandson wrote in his recent 'home-schooled' creative writing project: ‘I've got the lockdown blues oh yeah! oh yeah!’
In this opening song line, my young relative laments his disturbed early adolescent academia. Protesters seem to mourn a deeper loss. Apparently, many believe they've never been asked their opinion nor been invited to share their thoughts - in short, they've never had the opportunity to contribute to community well-being. Have they never been listened to? Naturally now, with compulsory masking, they demand to be heard! They seem to be fighting an invisible enemy.
Let's not simply take a deep breath, sigh and dismiss them with a shake of our collective heads. Rather, let's demonstrate with grace the truth: 'we're all in this together'. In our response let's ensure we've lined up for our jab ASAP. As we mask our smiling faces, let's ensure our open eyes and hearts reveal the positive wrinkle and twinkle from deep within.
Considering the state of the world, we need take no comfort in knowing there's always someone worse off. Rather let's be leaders, zooming out to take the widest view. May we see, hear, even feel the anguish and pain in Afghanistan. Can we of the Lucky Country become the Plucky People? Dare we, the most successful multicultural nation, push our boundaries further? Share more of our boundless plains, bind more wounds, embrace more of the world's battered?
While struggling together, we could become more able to cope with our country's comfortable Covid-restricted life. Then we may grow as a nation, inspiring each other to live more contentedly, dispersing golden acts of kindness in the gloom of the Covid, war-torn world.
John Kidson ministers part time in Grafton Anglican diocese and is a regular contributor to Engage.Mail.