EXTENSION

The Prime Minister just announced that there will be an extension of another 2 weeks of this Movement Control Order. A majority of the country is reeling. 
I think however, that most of us knew it was coming. It would take a special brand of escapism to ignore the reality of it. 
If one were to examine the situation logically, it would be obvious that a 2 week lockdown would do next to nothing to 'flatten the curve'. It would however, have incited a full scale panic if the government had announced a 4 or even 6 week lock down all at once. 
So here we are, going into the 5th and 6th week of the lock down. Unless people react very foolishly, it will be the last two weeks of this. 
It is a bitter pill to swallow, but all medicine is. Medicine that isn't bitter is usually ineffective. 
It is no small sacrifice that has been asked of the nation and most of them have reacted in the exactly the way you would expect; ignoring the order, downplaying the situation and generally making things worse. 
Those of us who saw this coming, have a plan for work for the next two weeks. 
I am grateful that I foresaw this and I am grateful that I work with people who expected this. 
I am blessed to have work and I am blessed to have stimulating work. 
I am worried for the state of my family, my friends, the country and the world, but even in this there is a blessing as the lack of human activity has reduced pollution. So as we stay indoors and save ourselves, the world is drawing it's first clean breath of air. 

Blessings

Counting my blessings is harder than you might think. 
I think it is in our nature to dwell on the things that are lacking in your life instead of focussing on the blessings you have. 
Sometimes it takes a little bit of doing. 
However, one thing I am always grateful for are the people in my life. 
I have my fair share of idiots, let's be honest, who doesn't? 
On the whole however, I have been blessed by the people in my life. 
Well meaning family, irritating always but the love is always there. 
I have also been blessed to work with family. 
It was a hard decision to make to work with family and I was advised against it, by many, many people. 
Truth be told, I was unsure, I was worried and I was scared of ruining relationships. 
However, after 3 years of full time work, I count it as one of my blessings. 
I will never underestimate the blessing of having people who understand you. 
I will never take for granted the blessing of working with family that appreciate you. 
For someone as outspoken as I am, I am constantly grateful that I am with a group of people who take the time to understand that the honesty, is not merely hurtful.