What’s the difference? The net result is the same, an action or experience is not repeated.

I’ve been thinking a lot about this recently and believe it comes down to time frame and perspective. Never again is usually an action of avoidance, the result of an unpleasant experience. The last time could be the result of natural aging (the last time you rode in a pram), a change in personal preferences, things wearing out, moving to a new home or city, or you decide to focus on something new.

When will that last time come and can you experience it with joy and gratitude instead of sadness for the loss?

Our world views evolve over time. Bit by bit they are forged from our experiences and will result in a growing list of things to repeat and others to avoid. We’ve built a library of words and phrases that combine to form our life stories, frequently recalled and woven together to define our personality, behaviour and ultimately our identity.

Our world views affect how we look at things and therefore, what we “see”. And if seeing is believing then our truth is created by our world view. So how do we avoid potential cognitive dissonance that living with a new truth can bring?

Forced lock-downs, smaller classes and travel bans with or without quarantine combine in a recipe for financial hardship. Be it reduced teaching hours, studio closures or no work at all, and few alternatives, we need community support more than ever. But how do we hold or build community when there is a growing evidence of tribalism and a desperate need to “put your own oxygen mask on first”?

Whatever the answer is, part of the solution will include safe and open communication.