Editor:
Our days have become gripped by anxiety and uncertainty. COVID-19 is the latest wave to come crashing down upon us, and our lives have taken quite a battering. It is normal to be worried about the economy, and it is right to be alarmed about the state of the environment. It is the sign of sound judgment to be concerned because there are real things to be concerned about, but let no one tell you that we do not have the power to solve these problems ourselves.
It lies within us to tackle these challenges, not just as a question of possibility but as a matter of responsibility. As citizens it is our responsibility to listen to our experts in government, but also to provide feedback to them so they have the full picture of the pandemic’s impacts.
Our responsibility does not end at the subject of personal health, for it is the community body that we also owe our vigilance to. The strength of our society flows from the individual, not as a matter of pushing power upwards or downwards, but of expanding that strength outwards and into the hands and hearts of our community.
There is no single policy or person that will put us back together, only the many hands and minds that are willing to work – little by little, day by day – to weave our social fabric together again. It is by relying on every thread in this weave, every style and colour, that we will be able to make our community whole.
Take specific actions, do a little better, accept that it’s hard. Progress will be slow. But together we will get through this.
COVID-19 is a difficult reality, but a difficulty can be overcome, by coming together to imagine a new approach to the challenges we face.
We at VoiceLab are ready to start the conversation about what is possible with our shared actions toward recovery. Join us May 24 at 7 p.m. on Facebook Live for a conversation with MP Patrick Weiler regarding a new approach to economic recovery: www.facebook.com/voicesunshinecoast/
Ryan Czech, VoiceLab Sunshine Coast
