Right and wrong

Anxiety throbbed through me like a tribal drum on Wednesday.

I don’t know what triggered it, well, other than the world going to hell in a hand basket, but I felt low and panicked.

And my remedy for it was wrong.

I drove to the Northern Beaches on Thursday morning to watch the sunrise, then had a quick dip before heading home again.

It seriously looked like this at dawn, no filter:

So beautiful.

But I’ve since read more about the laws that are currently in place and I’ve realised I’m not allowed to stand in public areas to watch the sunrise or run into the surf.

The police ordered people to go home from Rushcutters Bay Park in Sydney’s inner east earlier this week because they were stationary in the park and not exercising or outside for an essential purpose, such as food shopping.

NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller said: “If one person’s allowed to sit in the park, everyone’s going to sit in the park. If one person goes to Bondi for a swim, 10,000 people are going to go. Then we lose our distancing and we lose the whole effort to keep people at home and isolated.”

So, even though I kept my social distance and went to the beach when it was early and quiet, I wasn’t doing the right thing. I am only allowed outside to walk, not to stand on the headland and watch a sunrise or go for a swim.

NSW’s social distancing rules will be in place until the end of June according to the police commissioner.

I am going to miss the water very much. The ocean nutures me and I am so sad to lose it.

This damn COVID-19 crisis totally sucks.

But I am luckier than most. And I need to remember that.

I must keep my chin up in the face of such minor adversity.

And I must stay calm during this endless Groundhog Day we’re all living in … even if my version involves a bored, highly allergic child pestering me CONSTANTLY for a budgie to keep her company during isolation.

For some reason the 14-year-old thinks that even though she’s allergic to cows, horses, dogs and rats, birds will be totes fine.

Nup, mummy has waaaaay too many responsibilities without adding that.

Song of the day: Elton John “I guess that’s why they call it the blues”