Archie Irtizaali
Connector / Networker
A year of unprecedented new perspectives created from the unexpected - for which there is not yet a measure of the impact on future generations. It started with the perspective of fame and the dark side of celebrity status, which tragically was the cause of a vulnerable human being taking her own life. This led to the subsequent perspective on mental health and challenging the previously unspoken to try to heal the hidden illness by speaking about it out loud.
The perspective of a black man who had the knee of justice take his life away from him—and the global perspective that was brought to life as a result telling us all that “Black Lives Matter” and “All Lives Matter” in the same breath. The perspective of the abuse of power by a few staining the honest values of the many.
The perspective of freedom and what it means to be bound by the restrictions that a global pandemic enforced on our interconnected world. The perspective of “behind closed doors”, social distancing, home schooling, and working from home. The perspective of being more physically distanced yet somehow feeling closer in our shared empathy of dealing with a very real danger that affected us all.
The perspective of the virtual replacing the actual and connectivity being governed by the speed of our WiFi or broadband, not the length of the journey we travel. The perspective of the touch of a button replacing the touch of a hand. And connecting or reconnecting with friends, family, and loved ones through a screen that opened the window to a new way of communication yet closed itself to the spread of infection.
The perspective of family, love, life’s simple pleasures, cooking at home, connecting with self and others. The perspective of working to live, walking for pleasure, reading, laughter, box sets, and being thankful for staying safe. The perspective of “the new normal” adapting to an alien existence and making it our own.
The perspective of reconnecting with our beautiful Island and viewing it through different eyes. Re-realising the infinite beauty of woods, beaches, walks, sunsets, and the therapeutic sounds of the waves. The perspective of being present in the present, living in the moment, and appreciating what we have in front of us right now.
When we look back at 2020 in years to come will we look at it as the year of changed perspectives that made us refocus our lens and our view of our world...or will it just be a forgotten blur...
