644 迎接新的開始

是的，新冠病毒差不多在兩年前出現，開始時全世界都沒有很多人想過， 這看不見的病毒，會對人類的影響是如此巨大。這兩年經過了的新冠大流行，我們就好像突然走進了一種完全不可知，無法掌握的狀態之中。每一天，只見到政治領袖們走出來，告訴大家我們要怎樣做，怎樣生活，才能得到平安，然而他們的信息卻是一天比一天的壞下去。生活在墨爾本的朋友， 經歷了全球最長的封閉隔離日子，不少人已忘記如何與人有正常的交往。

長時間的封閉隔離，令我們與身邊的朋友變得疏離，更使我們告別了熟識的生活。今天我們少了上街購物，網購變成了每天生活一部份。也忘記與朋友們一起到餐館吃飯聚，更沒有正常的社交生活，視像會議變成了每一天排得滿滿的功課。上班的朋友已忘記了每天到辦公室去，原來可以給我們極多的樂趣，現時就是每天都留在家中工作、休息及自我娛樂的循環。整個世界就為著要逃避哪看不見的病毒，每一個人都變成了自我放逐的人。

不過， 進入了十月， 世界突然變得不再一樣。維州新冠感染個案極速大幅增加，每一個人的惶恐程度大增。一些堅決不肯接種疫苗的朋友，竟然自動走到接種中心，接種疫苗，只求心中有更多的平安。新州在數日內，州長及多位議員因不同原因辭職導致內閣改組，更有議員突然感到要離開政壇，不願再爭權奪勢。一下子令人覺得只有在不斷反省的生命中，我們隨時都可以有新的體會。中國多日來派遣軍機進入台灣領空，引致台海突然進入極度緊張狀態，我們又為著遠方的親友而憂心忡忡。來自香港的朋友， 見到在自己的故鄉，多年來在社會扮演著重要角色的公民團體，接二連三地迅速解散或被解散，明白到開放自由的香港已成為歷史，心中只有婉惜和不捨。不過，連在中國經濟帶來火紅發展的樓房地產業， 也因恒大地產可能倒閉，而覺得走到盡頭。

不過，還好的是新州及維州接種新冠疫苗人數大幅增加，很快會進入社會重新開放階段，總算是給了我們一些盼望。只不過，新冠疫情之後，社會又會是如何，我們又如何可以知到? 只求那掌管歷史的創造者，能給我們經歷這兩年困苦經歷的每一個人，心中仍有盼望及平安， 迎接這新的開始。

周偉文 社長

Have a new beginning

Covid pandemic has been around for almost two years and nobody on earth would have envisaged the huge impact of tis invisible virus. We all have entered an unknown and unmanageable state. Every day political leaders keep coming out to tell us what should be done to get covered but the outcome has just been from bad to worse. Melbourne has become the most locked down city of the world and people are feeling lost in their social interaction.

Prolonged lockdown has dragged us further away from our friends and a usually normal life. We now seldom go out for shopping or meeting friends in restaurants, whereas online shopping and video conferencing become the norms. People now discover going to work in an office could be more enjoyable than working from home where should be a place for our rest and entertainment. People are barricading themselves from the outside world just to escape the virus.

Things have a big turn by October. The surge of Covid cases in NSW has been frightening and some people who used to reject vaccination came forward for it just to have a peace of mind. The NSW cabinet has undergone a makeover with the premier and several parliamentary members resigning for various reasons. The quitting of a member totally from politics with no regard to power and status really prompted us to reflect on life for new inspiration. The sudden intrusion of so many China jet fighters into Taiwan air space has aroused grave tension and our worries of our ties in the region. Friends originated from Hong Kong are feeling sad as they watch their well affiliated civic organisations being wound up one after another either voluntarily or involuntarily, thus knowing a free and open Hong Kong is going down in history. The impending collapse of the property giant Evergrande also signified an end to the real estate boom economy in China.

Fortunately both NSW and Victoria are getting a good hope for reopening soon because of our high vaccination rates achieved. But who know what a post-Covid society would look like. We can only count on our Creator in control of history to grant us peace and hope in our new beginning after two dark years.

Mr. Raymond Chow, Publisher