Reporter Richard Davison discovered Lawrence butcher Jan Harper dealt with setbacks one day at a time.
When I reflect on 2020, I think "Wow, I did not see that coming". Covid-19. It would be fair to say I was in a state of numbness and disbelief for some time.
I survived by just taking it one day at a time, and every day looking for positive things around me. For the first time in maybe 12 years I had four weeks off. My butcher's shop had to stay closed.
I discovered I really liked the quiet (no traffic!) and peacefulness - we had beautiful weather in Lawrence. I took advantage of this, went for long walks every day. I took photos, and have now made a book from them called Lawrence Lockdown Autumn 2020, which has been really well received.
I discovered I didn’t like watching the news on TV too much. It could be very upsetting and leave you feeling sad for the many people around the world losing their loved ones.
I think 2021 will be challenging on a lot of levels. We in New Zealand are very fortunate, and with our Kiwi "can-do" attitude will meet them head-on.
We have a lot of talented people here and good leadership, so I will remain optimistic for the future and continue being grateful that I live in New Zealand.
