I hope that all of our Emery Village Voice readers are doing well. I’m feeling better these days.
New cases of the coronavirus continue to decline, governments at all levels are talking about recovery plans, and it’s finally getting warmer. There’s a light at the end-of-the-coronavirus-tunnel.
I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about what we’ve learned and can carry forward when we come out of this crisis. This experience has been a big reminder that change is inevitable. You just have to embrace it and make the most of it. You can’t sweat the small stuff or the big stuff. Focus on the good that’s around us all. The biggest takeaway for me has been that people are critically important to our collective success.
As a collective, Canadians have been handling this crisis exceptionally well. Everyone has rallied together toward a common goal – putting people first and beating this virus. And efforts are paying off.
First responders continue to do their critical jobs while our community continues to show our appreciation for their dedication and how they put themselves in harm's way. One of the current trends is that Canadians are finally spending less time consuming news, specifically related to the coronavirus. My interpretation of that trend means that many of us are getting back, or want to get back, into a normal routine. Perhaps we are now over the initial shock? How much more can we learn about the virus other than the daily infection numbers? We have our marching orders to wear a mask while in public and continue to social distance ourselves.
I’m not the only one feeling better. Optimism among Canadians is at an all-time high since this crisis began. Many of our local retail businesses are now open. It appears consumers are eager to break out of their dwellings and get back to activities that they might be doing this time of year. In Emery, that might mean planting tomatoes and peppers in their gardens or taming the recent endless crop of spring dandelions. Long line ups at local garden centres are now typical, and that is a good thing – with physical distancing measures in place.
A recent study by IMI-Next Wave shows an increase of 29 percent for your appreciation for a simpler life, a 27 percent increase in your desire to be active as well as a 22 percent increase in your desire to reach out to friends. There was a 20 percent increase in your relationship with people in your home, and finally a 21 percent increase in your relationship with your family. These are all significant trends, and hopefully ones that continue in the months ahead.
Publisher,
Sean Delaney