A new track
Imagine starting an online magazine requiring me to go out and about, visiting wine farms, hiking trails, nature reserves, restaurants and other delights, only to find myself in the middle of a pan(dem)ic that has caused the powers that be to close down practically everything that makes life worth living! I can’t refer to my previous notes on adventurous outings as there is no guarantee that some of the places even exist anymore. And trying to find companions to accompany me on sorties leads to all kinds of discussions on which mask will go with the outfit and whether we can wear a hat to hide the hairdo.
It’s a fact that many a travel guide has been written by someone who has never left the comforts of home and has merely gleaned the necessary information from the web, garnished it with shutterstock images and some imaginative yet plausible content, and successfully published! I hope to never need to employ such tactics, as the main purpose of my blogs is to galvanise me into action and get out there to live a good life. The writing of them afterwards is merely incidental, yet for me an extremely pleasurable pastime.
Of course I assumed (and one must never assume anything in life) that those who enjoyed my rambling words might be interested in subscribing to my online magazine, and I was told that family would be eager to give advice and comments on the content. To quote a well-known phrase, the silence has been deafening! I have had to rely on the kindness of strangers – and there are many of them, lovely, lovely people – for the support required to maintain enthusiasm for a venture that has been severely curtailed by curfews and cutbacks (governments the world over have been ruthless in pulling the rug out from under small and large businesses that have been years in the making, all in the name of saving lives, yet no mention is made of what the out-of-work and out-of-funds entrepreneurs will do with their saved lives, never mind the newly unemployed millions). There is only one way forward and that is a new way that we are all fumbling with, more than ever requiring us to support each other as shattered dreams are swept away like chaff before the wind and new goals loom before us.
As restaurant owners send out Facebook messages of reaching the end of the road, trite comments of ‘you’ll come back even stronger’ are of little material help. We need to support in a meaningful way, with our wallets no matter how thin. The local vegetable producer, home bakers, honey suppliers, dressmakers, furniture makers – they are all there and close by. Get takeaways from your local eateries. Every bit helps. You will soon find news about resilience and entrepreneurship on these pages – look out for it!
I firmly believe in my new track despite the current potholes – they are merely temporary obstacles to a field of dreams!
