We’re not there yet: actually, we’re just starting out

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Are we there yet?

Having decided to drive to Melbourne for a State of Origin match in May 1995, the four children must have had a caucus meeting before we left the house.

We lived at St Andrews in those days, so we headed south along Campbelltown Road just after midnight.

We then turned right into Blaxland Road, and then another right into Narellan Road.

A few hundred metres ahead we took the Hume Highway exit and went on for a kilometre or so when the smartie pants gang sang out in unison: Hey dad, are we there yet?

What brought back memories of this little family moment in history are the silly calls by some in the media about the social lock out laws.

When will they be lifted, are we there yet.

While this virus emergency has brought out the best in some people there are others that make you ashamed to call yourself a human being.

From those who spit at police or other people or those who cough at others intentionally, boy, there are some sick puppies out there.

Normally we’re not big fans of how the authorities issue warnings of impending disasters, whether it’s fires or rain “events’’.

They can be a bit over the top at times and end up with a whiff of the “boy who cried wolf’’ and the danger is that they will eventually lose their effectiveness.

Well, there’s nothing fake about the coronavirus emergency.

Nor is there anything confusing about the messaging from the authorities.

The rules are very simple: stay at home unless you have a good reason to go out, such as work, shopping for essentials or getting medical supplies or going to the doctor.

The virus spread figures have looked positive in the past few days.

But we have a long way to go and so we must be patient and just make the most of being at home with the family.

When my four kids asked me, “hey dad, are we there yet’’, we were just starting out on the long trek to Melbourne 790 kilometres away.

Something tells me our coronavirus journey right now is in about the same place.

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