I have grumbled of late about fuel prices being nearly $1.85 where I live (Tasmania, Australia). I have struggled to keep up with soaring rent increases. Fresh vegetables are just not in my budget right now — not that there is a big variety lately.

As I sit in front of the television at 4am and watch world news, I can’t help but wonder: Were we ever one world? Did we ever care about each other? It appears countries across the globe have the same struggles as those we’re facing in Australia.

America is feeling the pinch with fuel as are other countries. I hear from my friend in Italy and everything is becoming so expensive. Britain’s prices are soaring.

Social media has given us all a way of keeping up with the rest of the world. Thanks to social media, I have several friends across different countries, whom I hold very dear? I read how there are protest rallies against vaccination. I read of deaths through violence, domestic violence, hate and greed. That’s only in the Western world. I feel we hear and read less about the goings on in poorer countries, because the Western world don’t want to let us know how well off we are.

I know we can’t fix the problems of the entire world. Heck, I can’t even fix my own problems some days. Yet, as life gets scarier with new coronavirus strains, basic rights, like a place to live and enough food to eat, why are we still pulling each other apart?

If I look at Australia, I feel there are some on the mainland who don’t class Tasmania as part of the country, but please remember, we are. More importantly remember we are all human beings. We are all have a part to play in our families, local communities and in the world around us.

Social media may give us a way of communicating with those we would not have known or may never meet, but it’s also given us a platform to whinge, to tear others apart and to forget that, as the song says, “we are one, but we are many”. We need to take care of each other, but we need to be mindful that there is a whole world out there and we need to support our world.

Spare a thought for a girl who goes missing in her own country, a boy who kills himself after he kills his girlfriend, a child who is trafficked for the pleasure of scum, a mother who mourns her child when they die because they contracted coronavirus. Consider those sleeping rough or trying to feed their children, or suffering because of the colour of their skin. No matter who we are, where we are or what our circumstances, we are all in this together.

Smile at the person passing you at the supermarket. Put a gift under the Wishing Tree, just a $2 chocolate is better than nothing. When things are getting you down think of someone you know who may be doing it tougher than you. I’m not a saint, I’m not perfect, but I’m so sick of letting Covid-19, vaccination debates, not having enough money, or any of the other negativity, rule how I live my life.

I hope we all walk in to 2022 with a positive attitude, a kind heart and a will to make life better.