We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity, and its first chapter is New Year’s Day.” -Edith Lovejoy Pierce
Today we are approaching the second day of the New Year – 02/01/2021 and wondering what lives will bring everyone in the world – a better to extract the disasters, COVID 19, economy, finances and other things or prepare for the worst to come.
The year 2020 was the worst time for everyone globally, and the most significant impact was COVID19. Many people lost their jobs, their loved ones, their homes and depressed for foods and incomes to pay the bills. What about people/children with disabilities? What about D/deaf people? Have the Government agencies, Health Directors/staff, and other organisations forgotten us? Surely not all of these people have not forgotten, and they tried hard to do their best, but only small things failed within the disAbility area and elderly people’s area of the needs.
At the start of the COVID, the prime minister announced through media and many missing things in the media? The barrier is to provide a live interpreter for the D/deaf people in the community because they do not know or understand what happens. The second barrier is to provide simple information and sign language to the Deaf people to watch the interpreter on their computer/laptop/mobile about the critical tools such as wear transparent mask or use tracker scan. The people with learning disabilities to read the crucial thing in plain English language such as the level of lockdown, wear the mask, tracker scan when visiting shops and offices and wash your hands. The third barrier is how to get foods and drinks from the supermarkets, small shops such as butchery or bakery. The fourth barrier is how to pay the bills where many elderly people do not have computer/laptop/mobile to access banking online. The fifth and sixth barriers are Education, such as providing homeschooling and health needs, such as prescriptions and blood tests. The list of obstacles goes on. Many young generations are lazy, choose to ignore the warning on wearing the masks, social distance/location distance/control borders or become infected with COVID19. Perhaps overall the worst is to pay the fine like in Australia. Many desperate families and individuals wanted to get back home and refused to pay the extra cost to spend two weeks in isolated hotels in New Zealand. Many people were stuck in another country for more than six weeks to a year when their visa expired and unable to afford a trip home plus to stay in an isolated hotel. We have not heard or received any stories from the people with disabilities, D/deaf people, about being stranded away from their own country.
Around globally, many essential workers (I was one of the deaf critical workers) under the social services, health welfare service, and one of the chosen family member volunteers to do many jobs for their families and the people they support. We MUST NOT FORGET the essential workers, polices, nurses, doctors volunteers and Members of the Parliaments work tirelessly throughout 2020 and the start of 2021.
The worst things are not over. There were land disasters like earthquakes, fires, drought and flooding. There were many crimes, Terrorists, even racism like ‘Black Life Matter’ many movements related to ‘Black Lives Matter’ worldwide.
Another one to think of is the Chinese Zodiac to many Chinese people who believe the omen. Last year was the Year of the Rat and bought offend to Tai Sui (God of Age – star). Note Tai Sui star does not exist a real star in the galaxy. The Chinese astrology, people who believe in Zodiac, pointed out from January 25th 2020 lasting to February 11th, the Lunar New Year Eve will lead to the fall out/lousy luck into the coming year where people (born in the Year of the Rat) do something foolish on the New Year Eve 2020. The Rat Year was supposed to bring luck in wealth on the new day of the Year 2020. From February 12th 2021, it will be the Year of the Ox. One person – Hong Kong Chinese astrology master So Man-fung Peter says people born in the year of the rat may find themselves prone to negative thoughts and more disruptions in life. To alleviate the impact, travel more in 2020. But he did not mention about the pandemic – COVID19.
I am not a fan of the Royal family where Prince Harry and his wife decided to break away from the Royal Family and live privately away from the Media. But I do not understand why his wife is still doing it while she and Prince Harry residing in California, through their own media and the website they create and it makes no sense at all.
Yes, we lost friends, family members and several Deaf elderly people last year – most of them were unexpectedly death and natural death. I have lost the count of my closed family/friends, several family members and three Deaf elderly people so far.
With pandemic, social unrest, election chaos, it’s in the running throughout 2020 and now in January 2021. Everyones are tired of hearing more cases of COVID19 in lives and deaths in other countries. There are more opening the can of worms/the personal stories where many people do not know or heard before, which lead to racism. Late last year, journalists, right-wing people and politicians slowly start to see the violent views and choose the words/language for their people in every country. There is an urgent need to open the past of history. For example, our country – Māori people and their past in Aotearoa – New Zealand and our young generation can learn about their past in school/university. Our Deaf history is a significant part for all D/deaf people and people in the community to know about our sign language, our need in technology, culture and Education. But we need more stories from the people with disabilities, elderly people and D/deaf people on how they are doing and managing their lives through COVID19.
This year 2021, we continue to move forward and focus on doing things more positively, such as looking after yourself, keeping in touch with your loved one, growing vegetables in your own home. And start learning from us – D/deaf people, People with disabilities and our need in the communities by making equal and removing the barriers to you all.
Who knows when the COVID19 will end? Will things and people’s lives looking better and improving in 2021? Are there any jobs open up and allow workers/redundant workers to work again? Are we looking up optimistic and rosy lives?
What we call the beginning is often the end. And to make an end is to make a beginning. The end is where we start from. T.S. Eliot
Life in Eureka 