"Thanks for Being Here"

24 April 2020

Mitch Evans

Without wanting to sound cliché we are in unpresented times.

The freedom around things we were once able to do without even really thinking about it are no longer possible due to government directed health restrictions and social distancing protocols. It’s important that we heed the advice of the professionals and our government as we work together to ensure that we (everyone) is safe and well.

Sometimes we find ourselves (myself included) thinking about how much things have changed and how much we can’t do. For me I’ve normally got a number of things/projects happening at the same time. Add on top of this full work schedule living and working in community with all the (mostly) joyous interruptions this brings and being a husband to the incredible Robyn and a father to 2 amazing young boys – life is fairly full and fast paced.

As I sat in this space where I was thinking of all the things we can’t currently do a negative voice asking “what exactly are you doing” started to creep into my thinking.

In what I can only describe as a “God’s prompting moment” I went and joined the Streetlevel team who were serving our daily lunch from our laneway and chatting with community members.

“Thanks for being here”

These four words hit me like a freight train.

I spent some time chatting with this community member and he shared how thankful he was for what we were doing. Even in the midst of a pandemic and all that was changing in his world and the world around him, he was thankful that we continue to turn up and be present for the community. “I know Streetlevel is always going to be here because you’re always here”.

I was dwelling on all the programs and services that we’re unable to run and all the projects that have stalled due to the current climate – he was seeing what was truly important.

Life at the moment is different. Different isn’t bad, it’s just different to what we’re use to.

Like my friend reminded me, let’s reframe what we’re focusing on. We can dwell on all the things we can’t do and the impact his has on our “normal” life or we focus on what we can do and have some control over and find these moments of “gold” in this season.