Remember the time when we were preparing our kids for March break?
Packing our bags for vacations and laughing about a toilet paper shortage?
Then the Pandemic hit.
Our lives were seemingly upended as we cancelled plans, cancelled trips, cancelled work and basically cancelled life.
Our homes became our schools and our offices.
We became parents, employees, managers, teachers, bakers, chefs, and activity directors all at the same time.
We rearranged our worlds so that almost everything could be done online.
Work, school, meetings, even dates. We found new channels to connect and blazed new trails in this unknown territory.
Most of us stayed away from people, wore masks, got vaccinated.
We shifted.
Were we happy about it?
Of course not – but we did what we felt was necessary to continue on as best and as safely as we could.
Many followed their own path and their own beliefs as well and did the best as they could for themselves and what they believed in.
In the end – most of us survived.
And while we aren’t out of the woods of this pandemic yet, the light at the end of the tunnel is brighter than ever before.
Yet we’re once again at a cross roads where we’re fighting each other over what each side believes is their freedom or right.
Neither side entirely wrong – yet blindly unable to find a middle ground in an effort to make these last steps to the finish as calm and complacent as possible.
And we are so so close.
Countries and places all over the world are ending mandates and moving forward with life.
We’ve managed to bring this virus to a place where it is more muted and manageable than it was in its original state.
Canada – and Ontario – will one day too join the others in the world who are at the finish line. However patience and peace are requested as we near these final steps.
And in the meantime, while we are busy fighting amongst ourselves over whether or not the mask still serves its purpose – and pushing what we believe the definition of our freedom is on our neighbours and friends, a whole new issue is brewing.
What was once a mere threat, clouded in the hope that no one man would be mad enough to proceed and engage with a quiet neighbour – has turned into a realization of our greatest fears.
Russia has attacked Ukraine.
While we continue to sit complacent in our homes with Netflix streaming non stop, our friends and our family in Ukraine are fleeing their homes in a bid to save their lives, and just as importantly – their country.
With a neighbour such as theirs, comfort is a reality that was always slightly out of reach.
Knowing that their world could be flipped upside down at any time is something they constantly live with.
While one of our biggest struggles in wearing a mask – theirs is making it to the next day.
Their cities are being fired upon and surrounded.
Hospitals and schools have been destroyed.
I’m sure hundreds of thousands at this point are displaced.
While countries around the world rally to support from any level they can, the reality is that for some people, the support might not be enough, or it could come too late.
This is a country made up of strong men and women that will not give up without a fight.
They are a strong country and yet they are a peaceful country.
But when you go to even the most quiet of places and poke a stick and inflict harm, expect retaliation.
Expect resilience.
Expect that quiet to awaken with such force that there is not one corner of the world that won’t hear them.
While they fight and give up any semblance of comfort and quiet and calm for the coming days, weeks, or however long it takes.
The slight discomforts that we have and that we have been arguing about are insignificant blips on the radar of life.
We have a bed to lay in each night and warm meals.
We have our family and friends nearby.
We have our plans and our jobs and our education.
We can without hesitation and with confidence, detail our plans for the next week without fear of interruption.
While our country, our province, and our government – may not be perfect.
We are all human and we are all doing the best that we can to make it through as best as possible to the other side of this pandemic. One of which we are so so close to putting behind us.
Ukraine may be further away geographically – the reality is, we are all connected to this war.
This affects us.
We have friends there. We have families there.
We have Russian friends that are caught up in the middle of a war they neither support or endorse and are as heart broken as the rest of the world.
If ever there was a time for peace and unity – it is now.
Time to put all of our slight indifferences aside and support those that need us most.
Support by prayer, donation, or communication. Whichever method we are able to utilize.
The world is on standby to do whatever we can, whenever we can, until this too passes.
Guest Blogger Rayna Davies
Rayna Davies is a graduate and practitioner of Business Management. She has developed an expertise in blogging, covering subjects like travel, world events and security. Having grown up with a father who has developed an expertise in Physical Security and Executive Protection in the RCMP and two major corporations, she has personally observed and experienced many security details. These experiences have included personally meeting HM Queen Elizabeth, Prime Minister Jean Chretien and many celebrities. She presently assists Sentinel Security in Executive Protection workshops and guest blogging and also assists Gloprosec Preventative Services in Intelligence gathering and Business Administration.
Her passions include World travel, having visited every continent.