Dear Melbourne
Photo taken by me, last year, near Melbourne Park
It’s hard to put into words what this year has been like for Melburnians. At first, we were part of the worldwide pandemic, as the wave of coronavirus washed over our nation.
We were all in it together until we weren’t.
The wave receded, we got on with life for a few weeks and then BANG! Our little southern corner was slammed by a tidal wave of cases and we bunkered down. We were the butt of interstate jokes but also the warning sign for how quickly this maniac of a disease could spread. We copped it on the chin and did what we were instructed for the benefit of all. Public health.
Our businesses suffered. Our families strained under the pressure of spending 24/7 together. We worried about our health and our loved ones.
In my home, we had six of us sharing internet bandwidth, and none of us left the house for anything aside from groceries and the daily hour walk. Remote learning had its moments...most of them involved frustration or tears.
BUT we also learned to slow down. We took photos of gates and flowers and letterboxes all within our five-kilometre radius. We baked, we ate and drank a little more than recommended.
We checked on neighbours and friends, found ways to adapt and create and entertain. We dyed our own hair and let our toenails go nude. We reported daily case numbers like we were data specialists and analysed Dan’s presser jackets. We compared masks and shopped local.
It was HARD and at times, it broke us.
But we’re Melburnians. We have done kid’s footy at 8am on Sundays in the thick of Melbourne winters, so we bloody well knew we could do 75 million days in lockdown.
And now as restrictions lift, on the inside we feel like screaming glory down to the pub, but on the outside we step gingerly into the freedom. Hopeful but also apprehensive about this all happening again.
Well done, #Melbourne. This collective trauma has scarred us but it’s also shown us what we’re made of.
We are made of Melbourne. 💙
KOx
