It was a world of waste and wonder. Of poverty and plenty. You, see the people came with companies to trade across all lands, but they swelled bigger than ever we could have planned. Wed always have our wants, but now, it got so quick. You could have anything you dreamed of in a day and with a click.
We noticed families have stopped talking. That is not to say they never spoke. But the meaning must have melted and the work-life balance broke. And the childrens eyes grew squarer and every toddler had a phone. They filtered out the imperfections but amidst the noise, they felt alone.
And every day the skies grew thicker, till you couldnt see the stars. So we flew in planes to find them while down below, we filled our cars. Wed drive around all days in circles. Wed forgotten how to run. We swapped the grass for tarmac, shrunk the parks, til there were none. We filled the sea with plastic because our waste was never capped. Until, each day, when you went fishing youd pull them out already wrapped. And while we drank and smoked and gambled, our leaders taught us, why its best not upset the lobbies, more convenient to die.
But then, in 2020, a new virus came our way. The governments reacted and told us all to hide away. But while we all were hidden, amidst the fear and all the while, the people dusted off their instinct. They remembered how to smile. They started clapping and to say thank you. And calling up their moms. And while the car keys gathered dust, they would look forward to their runs. And with the skies less full of voyages, the earth began to breathe. And the beaches bore new wildlife that scuttled off into the seas. Some people started dancing, some were singing, some were baking. Wed grown so used to bad news but some good news was in the making. So when we found the cure, and were allowed to go outside, we all preferred the world we found to the one wed left behind. Old habits became extinct and they made way for the new. And every simple act of kindness was now given its due.
But why did it take a virus to bring the people back together?
Well sometimes, you’ve got to get sick, before you start feeling better. – Tom Roberts
