WHEN our city first started feeling the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic back in March, it was impossible to imagine how the next few months would play out.
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As many businesses were forced to shut their doors, many staff were forced to start working from home and many more were forced to stop working at all, we bunkered down and wondered just how many months it would take for the virus lockdowns, and the virus, to run their course.
How many of us imagined that almost five months in, we'd still be asking the same questions?
The cruel reality of this pandemic is that for every step we take towards emerging out the other side, there's a trap dragging us back into the mess.
As communities across Australia over the past few weeks have started to take the first tentative steps back to some sort of normality, we've also seen a second surge in COVID cases and the real threat that the next wave of illness will be worse than the first.
Our health networks are certainly better prepared this time round but the nagging uncertainty is definitely playing on the collective psyche.
There's also a creeping tiredness in our communities that have had to endure so much in a year that is still such a long way from being over and done with.
Many are starting to feel the strain of a loss of human connection and this week's sobering economic forecasts from the federal government only added to the gloom.
So now, more than ever, there's a need for a rallying cry.
Now, more than ever, we need to focus again on all the good that's around us.
For one, our country is tackling this crisis better than most on the planet and that is credit to our health experts, our political leaders and the broader community for taking the necessary steps to slow the spread of the virus.
And, two, we're lucky enough to live in a country that has safety nets in place - both health and social security - to provide as much support as possible for those who fall victim to the virus.
It's not hard at the moment to find reasons to complain but we there's so much more to be gained by finding those reasons to be thankful.
It's not always easy at the moment but we owe it to ourselves, and each other, to at least try.
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