So, eh...it's been 4 years since we've written anything on this blog. There are heaps of drafts that were never published, and may never be. Today I want to share some thoughts about the state of the world and how we are carrying on in New Zealand...
I was in a yoga class last night.
Wait.
That sentence would not have been remarkable 6 months ago. A year ago. We all know why it's nearly a 'brag' now. New Zealand has done remarkably well (*so far!) at containing the Covid-19 disease. Back in late March, we shut everything down and the government asked people to isolate. And we did because our Prime Minister told us we were a team of 5 million. Fortunately, we could easily close our borders and we didn't have an overwhelming number of cases in the community. We were out of intense lockdown in just 6 weeks, and into Level 1 by early June.
It's been 78 days since we've had a case from an unknown/community transfer.
Technically we are still in "Level 1", but we live freely. We can go to work, and school, and congregate at parties, concerts, sports events, bars and restaurants. We can use transport and shop and get our hair cut - all without masks. We can hug our friends and have morning teas at work.
And we can exercise in groups.
As I moved through the poses in my 90 minute (restorative) class, I realised why I've been uncomfortable with this freedom over the past few weeks: I feel that I have an over-abundance of something that I cannot give away.
This particular thought struck me because the owner of the studio holds the restorative class once a month, and only asks for a koha* payment. When asked, she simply states "you can pay with anything you have an over-abundance of". Such a great idea! And over the years I have figured out where to take certain items that I have too many of - extra containers go to the Free Store, extra clothes go to Dress for Success. Curtains? Sustainability Trust. We even have charities that 'rescue' food every day and redistribute it to food banks.
And here we are living freely, without any power to help friends and family overseas.
Here's my last point: after all the years living in the US with the "freedom" propaganda message shoved down my throat daily, only now do I understand what freedom really feels like. And it didn't come in a moment when I was alone and doing whatever I wanted - it's arrived in the moments where I was out at a crowded pub with friends, or wandering through town on crowded sidewalks and yes, in yoga class. Freedom exists when everyone can enjoy it. We have an over-abundance of it here, and I wish I could share it...
*Koha: a Maori word frequently used in New Zealand meaning gift, present, offering, donation or contribution.
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