Even though I’ve been doing my bit to stay at home during the Coronavirus pandemic, it’s virtually impossible to avoid close contact with other humans. What do you do? Be prepared and stay safe!
A month ago I received a renewal notice for my car registration. By law every car in NSW that is more than 5 years old will need to have a safety check before anything else. Like it or not, it’s mandatory, it’s gotta be done.
To get it out of the way as soon as possible, I booked a car servicing time a week later. I must admit, once the booking was done, I started to feel a little anxious about how they would handle my car.
Thankfully, the technician and the staff in the workshop did an excellent job to ensure that my car is not only safe to drive, but also hygienically clean free from nasty germs and viruses. A plastic protective cover for the driver seat, a protective sheet for the car floor mat, and a disinfectant wipe for the wheel and all that. I was impressed.
Before my car was ready for pick up, I had 3 good hours to myself. It was a beautiful autumn morning, so I thought why not walking down to the nearest Balmoral Beach for some free time.
Surprised and not surprised at the same time, there was no crowd. Just some seniors and a few young families with their kids in the water. As usual I proceeded to the quieter end where my dog Jamie and I used to hang out whenever we came here. Time stood still as those fond memories started to pop up…
We’ve seen how the world has slowed down on many fronts due to the Coronavirus outbreak but it hasn’t stopped by any means, and the hard fact is it won’t pause because of your personal stories, no matter how touching they are. It’s human nature… Over time, people do become desensitised.
Having gone through some of toughest times in my life after losing my job and my dog, I realized, being a good story teller is not enough. I need to be a good change manager, too! But the question is: Where do I start?
A couple of nights ago, I was taking a bath trying to rejuvenate. There you are, in the still of the night, when it’s quiet and calm, when you’re completely naked and alone by yourself. No devices and no noises to distract you, what do you look for?
Oddly enough, those thoughts you struggled to make sense of earlier will start to crystallise one at a time. Right there and then, I asked my dog Jamie a hypothetical question: Had our situations been reversed, what would you do going forward?
Then I heard a voice talking back to me: I would be very sad but I would be very brave, I would lick my wounded heart. I would adjust, I would adapt and I would go on living each day to the best of my ability…
Ted Tsai 