Things have changed so quickly this week. On Monday I noticed Air New Zealand announced they are cutting down 85% of long haul flights. I decided to book the flight for mum who was in Canada visiting her brother to return home soon. By Wednesday NZ announced they are shutting down the borders only allowing PR and Citizens to enter. Wed and Thur were the sleepless nights for me, thankfully mum’s flight was not cancelled. She made it home this morning, my dad dropped her car at the airport and she drove herself home starting the 2 weeks isolation. My dad moved in with us.
The stress level is up and down, last time I felt this anxious was waiting to fly out of Beijing while I was pregnent with Bella. I had always felt a bit nervous with flights, This time I am very thankful for Air NZ to continue the Vancouver – Auckland flight which brought mum back to us.
Things are not well in NZ. I am hoping the government can quickly escalate the level of urgency of the situation so that people can stop moving around. We are carrier of the virus, every time we step outside the door we are risking our own health and other people’s. I felt angry when someone at work continued to sneeze and cough and still be in the office. This person even wanted to pat her hand on me when she wanted a friendly chat. I just really don’t understand why our perceptions of reality can be so drastically different. Why can’t people take social distancing seriously? While I write this, someone in the neighbourhood is having a birthday party, as I can hear them singing songs. We live in multiple realities, some people are consumed by fear and they are struggling with the situation, some people continue to go out clubbing and still go to work thinking that they “just have a cold”.
What I have learnt is that as humans are we will never agree on anything, sometime to achieve a common goal some extreme measures need to be taken. I read an article that after this pandemic the world will become smaller, less open and less tolerant. I choose not to believe in this. I think this virus are teaching us some very important lessons right now:
- Be close to people who matter
- Do NOT mess with nature
- Slow down, focus on the simple things
- Think before you act
I dont know by the end of the year what kind of things I am going to write down. All I know is that the next 4 weeks will be more and more challenging for each one of us. However, what I can choose is my mindset. Bring this on. I am moving on this earth with grace, carrying hope and deliver it with clarity and strength. May you and the ones you love all be healthy and prosper.
LIYANG'S THOUGHTS 