I think for many of us, 2021 has been a tough year. The year plagued us with shortages, lockdowns and a cost of living increase that left many of us worse off. I certainly hoped that the COVID-19 saga would let up by the end of 2021 and the beginning of this year. However,  we are off to a shaky start with Omicron on the rise resulting in uncertainty and anxiety skulking around our minds like a villain from the latest Marvel movie. Ready to pounce at a moments notice at the mention of lockdowns and travel restrictions.

This post is not about being gloomy. COVID has permanently and significantly changed our lives and made us aware of how fragile and interdependent we are on one another on this satellite around the sun. While New Zealand has done really well with COVID-19, the reality that this pandemic is far from over is starting to set in. The world will recover. We will travel again, and before we know it, we’ll all be able to buy the latest Xbox or PlayStation without supply chain issues throwing a spanner in the works. The key takeaways are that it will not be like before and will take time.

Looking forward, I think we all can learn to take things a day at a time. I wish to achieve many things in 2022 and hope that all of you reading this will have a blessed 2022 filled with loved ones and experiences that will make you thrive.