1 September 2020
Viewpoint
David Ahern
Current editor of The Majellan, David has spent more than 40 years as an editor/journalist
Spring is here. Longer days. Brighter days. Warmer days. Hooray! Let’s be honest. There hasn’t been much to cheer about of late and, for most of us, life has been a series of lockdowns and restrictions of where we can go, what we can do and how many people we can visit.
Hopefully in the months ahead, we will receive good news about beating the coronavirus which has caused so much misery around the globe this year. A vaccine to combat the deadly virus will be a game changer. We hope and pray with all the work being carried out by organisations worldwide, a vaccine is close at hand.
While the autumn and winter past can only be described as glum, spring is generally a time of hope and renewal.
While life has been tough for many, especially for people whose loved ones have passed or those who’ve lost their jobs, compared to the pandemic following World War 1, today’s generations, baby boomers included, have had a pretty good run.
While lockdowns, social distancing and the wearing of masks, has been challenging, we live in an age of modern technology; television, smartphones, the Internet, Netflix, etc. Those living in the early to mid-20th century, including my grandparents and parents, had no such marvels to keep them occupied, entertained and comforted.
I often remember my father saying as a young boy in the 1930s, dripping (type of lard) on bread was his family’s staple diet. His parents weren’t dirt poor but, like many folks at the time, the pennies were tight.
Life was much harder back then and, Spanish Flu aside, over the next 20 years they would encounter more hardships along the way including the Great Depression and another world war.
Therefore, it has been disappointing that some people have decided to flout the government’s rules and regulations about wearing masks or not travelling too far from home. There will always be people who know better and believe their individual rights and freedoms are more important than the community at large.
What nonsense!
People who ignore the official health directives are putting other lives at risk, especially the elderly and those with underlying health conditions. Their selfish behaviour has been rightly condemned by the majority who are doing the right thing and heeding the warnings.
Thankfully, the transgressors are very much in the minority and most people can take a pat on the back.
So, here we are. Spring has arrived in all its glory. And the second last day of spring, November 29, is the beginning of Advent. It is a special time of year in the lead up to Christmas and the birth of Jesus who was born into this world to give us hope of eternal life.
If ever the world needed renewed messages of hope, faith and love, then that time is now.
Stay safe and if you’re able, give your loved ones a cuddle and a hug. And a special tribute to all the fathers who hopefully enjoyed Father’s Day with their families. It’s been a long, difficult year. Let’s hope and pray good news for the world at large is just around the corner.