Barry Kelso
Construction
Life, to say the least, can be hard not just for me but for everyone. I entered 2020 with a pending divorce, a never-ending divide of lawyers, and loyalty, for what?! Freedom from a life lost and a life starting anew, 2020 for me was supposed to be about the possibilities, a better road to take, and to put the past behind. “Start afresh” as such.
I was fortunate enough to have my girlfriend propose to me on the leap year. Surprised I was, to say the least, but my world for the first time seemed complete and steady. Soon after our engagement, I contracted coronavirus and quarantined for over 2 weeks only to recover as lockdown came in. After having severe symptoms and getting close to being taken to the hospital, the realisation of this disease became very apparent and the world’s unravelment and waves of chaos and the unknown began to sink in.
I spent the next few weeks contained with my new fiancé and stepdaughter, taking stock of life, which was a lot easier to do when the avenue had no cars, my sea view had no boats, and the sky above had no planes. I then realised my carbon footprint and the devastating effects that we all put onto this earth. 2020 for me was about taking stock and truly thinking about change and how I was going to change it. I see 2020 as a turning point to everything. Nothing will ever be the same and you may view that as a negative. But my glass is always half full and I only see a new beginning that’s full of adapted possibilities and ones that I want to take.
