Opinion: Don’t let pandemic change who we are

Coronavirus has taken away the things we all hold dear, and we must draw on our Aussie spirit to endure, writes Peter Gleeson.

IT’S the little things. A spur of the moment decision to jump in the car and head to the beach.

An early morning round of golf before a day at the races or an afternoon flutter at the TAB.

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Watching my little bloke play soccer and then tuck into the obligatory sausage sandwich with onions and tomato sauce.

Going for a nice dinner and then a movie with the cheese and kisses. Dressing up.

Who would have thought we’d miss putting on a pair of jeans or slacks and collared shirt and jacket to simply go out? A quiet coffee in the early morning autumn sun with a mate. A night at the footy. Shaking someone’s hand. A hug, a traditional but rare greeting reserved only for my closest friends.

And while I miss these little things, what about those who are less fortunate, the elderly who simply crave a conversation?

The six old Italian fellas who would meet every morning at 10am at our local coffee shop for a chat?

Those whose weekly interaction with their mates at the local RSL or bingo hall was the highlight of their week?

The Millennials who have danced a couple of times a week with their best friend since they were six-year-old girls and now have to improvise in front of a TV at home?

The list goes on. If we as Aussies ever needed reinforcement that we are indeed the Lucky Country, the coronavirus pandemic has solidified that notion.

There’s an old saying that you don’t know what you have until you lose it and it’s so true about this pandemic. We have taken for granted our freedom, our liberties, our outdoor lifestyle and carefree existence. As humans, we’re not conditioned to be holed up for weeks on end. That’s why coronavirus has sparked a fitness revolution as people walk, run and cycle their way to better bodies because – let’s be honest – it’s the only way to get outdoors at the moment.

A meal with friends is now out of the question.

However, the real takeaway as we go forward and try to reclaim our pre-corona lives is the sense of connectivity and hope that this crisis has created.

Because we’ve now got the time, many people have rediscovered relationships with old friends and family that have been put on pause for years. People have reached out to neighbours, many elderly, and helped them with shopping and getting their medicines.

In Queensland, the so-called Care Army was established and it had 20,000 volunteers within 48 hours. These are people who have been assigned someone over 70 to talk to and make sure they are okay.

A recent poll showed that coronavirus has had a massive negative impact on the mental health of the nation.

We’ve been catapulted out of our comfort zone and it’s resulted in confusion, uncertainty and anxiety.

We want stability. We like routine. That’s why the footy must come back soon.

We are fighting a war with a hidden enemy, and it’s knocked us for six.

Yet in all the doom and gloom, particularly as the fiscal fallout reaches Great Depression-type levels, we must never lose sight of what ultimately makes us tick as Aussies – our resilience and mateship. In the toughest of times, we’ve always stuck together.

We must stick together like we’ve never done before. We must start a manufacturing revolution like we’ve never done before.

If we can get back to appreciating the little things we take for granted, the bigger things will surely follow.