What we’ve been missing…

Restrictions are easing and holy moly, it feels good!

After 105 days in stage 4 lockdown, we were able to go 25 km’s from our houses and that felt like a breath of fresh air! Kids are back at school, people can go back to work, you can sit in a cafe and enjoy a cup of coffee. Small, but momentous moments!

Stage 4 was hard… for everyone, for a variety of different reasons.

I think if we would have gone into an intense lockdown from the start, it would have been a very different story. Back in March, lockdown 1.0, it was almost a novelty to have an excuse to stay at home. There was more time to create, to bake, to catch up on movies. But after months of being encouraged to stay at home, and then entering a hard lockdown like this, well, it was a whole other ball game.

As we come out of this lockdown, more than anything it seems there is a deep craving for connection. Connection, community, friendship, balance. Being able to sit down and have an actual, in person, conversation with another human being. Being able to say no to an invite, and instead choosing to spend an afternoon at home. Getting back into nature, going to the ocean, watching kids tear around on their bikes. All I can do is sigh and be grateful.

Just last weekend, the km radius was dropped here on the Mornington Peninsula, now that is a new kind of freedom and people are clearly loving the opportunity to get out, while also being aware we need to avoid another lockdown. Finding that balance is hard... Finding our way through a global pandemic is likely a challenge none of us expected in our lifetime, and yet here we are, capable of so much more than we’ve possibly given ourselves credit for.

I would love to know, what were you missing the most during lockdown? And what are you most grateful to get back to now?

For me? I was deeply saddened to miss out on going home to see my family and friends in Canada as planned. I missed not getting to see my friends, who are my family here in Australia. And I certainly missed getting to go on adventures and take images that I get to share with all of you. Right now, I am grateful to get to spend time with some of our friends. I am grateful to be back out with my camera again. And I am grateful to be working towards balance - finding time to spend with Lou, to create and to get out exploring again. Slow, steady, solid steps.

And of course, there are still dreams to be back in Canada next year, and I cannot wait to see you all…

I hope you are healthy and well, I know some places throughout the world are back in lockdown and I feel for you. I am always here, with an open heart, for a conversation, to share concerns or to chat about what life might look like after this. For now, I will be here, cheering you on.

You can do this 💛