Many people shared with me these past few weeks their despair for society. They are angry, sad and often feeling hopeless, weighed down by a world seemingly descending into chaos on so many fronts.
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However, even amidst depressing conversation, virtually everyone I spoke to is willing to lift themselves up to joy again with a joke or a story of a loved one. And I am amazed yet again by the resilience and hopefulness of the human spirit.
Every one of these people is active in their community, doing what they can to help others - be it family, friends, colleagues, clients or virtual strangers.
Their despair is not from being needed to help. It's from being pulled down by those who think it's winning to attack another.
Jacinda Ardern was my saving muse this week with her calm and oh-so-wise declaration to the planet at large that compassion is not weakness and a leader can be both compassionate and strong.
She reminds us that strong-arm bullies are just cowards, afraid of the real work of life. So, keep the faith and stay upright, I repeat to myself and others ad nauseum.
Obviously the global pandemic is making things worse. Lives disrupted, lives lost, loved ones overseas lost to life or struggling and we can't even physically connect.
It's traumatic and we shouldn't forget that so many are affected in some direct way by disaster, whether from the pandemic, or bushfires or the drought before that.
There is even a shout out to cancel 2020! But on we go.
I've heard so many calls for us all to stop blaming the whole world for the sins of the few. To lift up your voice in song - if only to drown out the bluster of the angry deluded.
Not easy, but we need ever more good people to face the chaos and lead upward. Be one.
- Cr Intemann's opinions are her own and do not represent the view of Port Macquarie-Hastings Council.
