‘Protests and civil unrest aren’t revolutionary, they’re blocking our path to success’

As I watched television and saw the protesting being used as an excuse for atrocious behaviour, I wondered what this country, my country, had become. It was not just the protesting, but the fact that it didn’t matter what side of the fence you sat on, there seemed reasons to complain.

I’m closer to 70 than 60 and was eager as soon as possible, to have my coronavirus vaccination. I know others who haven’t yet and those who will never get them. In my ideal world, we all have them and, like measles or the plague, we wipe the virus out. Yes, sometimes my rose-coloured glasses need cleaning. I have a couple of health issues and almost no family; I live alone and need to care for myself, so I try to do everything possible to stay in this world a little longer.

We’ve all heard the reasons why we should or should not be vaccinated so I won’t go into that. I want to talk focus on the lockdowns. It must be hard for a lot of people to be restricted day after day, week after week and even months. I’m sure it challenging and I sympathise, but to complain constantly, does not make the lockdown easier or the time pass faster.

Every day, I am at home alone. I do have my dog, without whom I would feel depressed more often. I wonder what it will be like if I ever get to go shopping for things I just feel like buying or have a coffee and a large piece if some gooey matter smothered in cream, just because I can. I dream of the day I can take my grandchildren on a small holiday or visit a friend in another part of the country — maybe another part of the world. I can’t see it happening anything soon.

I wonder what those who protest, who injure others, who injure property that is not theirs, think about at night, when they are home where they probably should be. One of the images that has stayed with me is that of a man who threw a can of something at the head of a reporter. I wonder if every person in the family of that can-throwing man would put their hands on the can. I wonder if any of these people care that businesses are going broke, hard-working people are losing everything.

I think those who understand that medical experts are our best shot (that they will know more than the average lay person), will heed the lockdowns, the restrictions and not try to make problems for others.

Until we are back to some sort of normalcy, we need to remember that we are all in this together, or have we forgotten? I know there are people who are finding lockdown and isolation harder than others, so we need to be there to support them in any small way we can. Those in nursing homes who cannot see anyone for instance, I am sure that would be more difficult than me sitting inside my apartment with my dog. I’m certain it’s harder than not being able to go to the football or cricket.

I live in a part of Australia that has been lucky and only had minor restrictions compared to a lot of the rest of the country. I have friends in other countries and they tell me the problems we have, mirror theirs, so we are in the same boat, it’s just the boats are different sizes.

For me, I no choice but to survive on a pension, pay extremely high rent if I don’t want to live on the street, and figure out a way to still be able to eat. This has put me in lockdown with or without coronavirus. I’m sure I’m not alone in this ‘bountiful’ country, a country who has taught some of it’s older and, in some cases, younger citizens they need to lockdown/isolate by necessity.

Let’s get on with it, pull together and look out for each other. We need to stop putting obstacles in our own way. There are enough blocking our paths already.