Perspective in a Pandemic

Perspective in a Pandemic

So we think we’re doing it hard. No doubt, this lockdown is wearing us down making us feel sorry for ourselves and wondering when it will all end.

However, let’s give it some perspective. Think about what our ancestors went through.

My ancestors came on a ship from Ireland, Hugh Doherty was a merchant sailor that settled here after a few return voyages in around 1864.

Eventually he sent for his wife and 3 kids to join him. They came out in a ship called the Dandenong which capsized on it’s return.

The first picture, the guy in the hat was one of those kids that made that trip, John Doherty. He was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland in 1865, he arrived here when he was 10. He was my grandfather’s grandfather.

The one in the middle was my great grandfather John Doherty. Photo taken in the Carlton Arms Hotel. My grandfather, Alexander Roy Doherty is on the right.

Our greatgrandparents and grandparents went through famines, the great depression and two world wars.

They never experienced privilege or luxury at all. Never experienced the sense of entitlement that we have grown to accept as normal.

So let’s all knuckle down and ride this out.

This pandemic has taught us lessons that we never expected. It has made us stronger than we knew.

Made us understand that we can never take things for granted again.

So take a moment of gratitude.

It is a still and will always be a beautiful world.