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Opinion

25 September, 2020

Family, friends and local - the cornerstone of our lives

Editorial Cairns Local News #2. 25 September 2020

By Peter McCullagh

Family, friends and local - the cornerstone of our lives - feature photo

A few months ago we all had the opportunity to hit the re-set button on our lives. Perhaps this would be the best thing to come from this COVID-19 pandemic.

We had an opportunity to step off the daily ritual treadmill and spend time with our families and assess priorities and reorder our lives.

There appears to be one common thread that weaves through all our lives at the moment.

We are increasingly aware of and placing greater importance upon family, friends and local.

We have come to realise that we really need all three in equal proportion in our lives. Our families and friends have always been important to us, but I believe we cherish them even more now.

I have family and friends interstate and overseas. The tales regarding lockdown, the impact upon relationships as well as mental health and lifestyle leave us all counting our blessings here in Cairns.

I truly feel blessed that we have dodged a bullet here in Cairns, and it would appear that many feel the same.

As a community we have stood tall and followed the regulations, there appears to be very few ‘Karens’ in Cairns.

What is also heartening is the way our community has embraced our local businesses and supported the ‘store with a door’.

Whilst I do understand some businesses are still doing it tough, it would appear that the FNQ community has stepped up with a heightened awareness of local and supported our business community.

Local is the lifeblood. Local will employ locals. Local businesses are there when we have an issue. We can face-to-face them. No call centre off-shore or interstate. It needs to be about locals supporting local businesses AND local business must do the right thing by locals.

Any local based business needs to give customers compelling reasons why they as a business should be supported.

This ‘life re-set’ has been a good thing for many of us. In the coming months and years we will all reap the benefits from our ‘re-set’. Family, friends and local – I trust these will be the cornerstones for our lives.

 

Peter McCullagh

Editor

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