Through the world crisis of covid-19 the world has been left with no sport to broadcast.
People’s thirst to become emotionally involved and watch a game, a competition, the rivalry unfold is growing stronger day by day.
Just imagine for a second never seeing the All Blacks play another test match.
Who would our children and the people of New Zealand look up to as role models and heroes?
Post lockdown, when everything is back to what will be our new normal, I think or maybe, rather, I know we will see some of the greatest sporting moments in recent history.
From my experience there is nothing like a break or setback to give you that hunger, that drive and determination to push you further beyond your limits, further than you ever thought possible.
During this lockdown we have seen just how very lucky we are in this day and age to have instant entertainment at our fingertips and to keep in touch with our loved ones.
However, I believe even though we have all this technology we are losing the ability to communicate accurately.
A text simply isn’t enough.
There is nothing more uplifting than being able to talk to someone face to face, to sense them near you, to gauge their body language and feel their emotion.
I like to think back to my grandparents’ times when, if you wanted to talk to someone or meet someone new, you would have to put yourself out there, attend a social event or even ride a horse into town.
I believe people have become complacent with one another. It’s too easy to hide behind our phones and receive a daily hit of dopamine through social media.
If we want real connections with people we need to put ourselves out there, outside of our comfort zone and go out of our way to do something nice or kind-hearted.
There is nothing more valiant than someone who is willing to expose themselves just to talk to you.
Just a few months ago economies were booming, world trade was as its peak and global destruction was blamed on one sole factor – farming.
But now more than 2.5 billion people worldwide are in lockdown. There’s minimal cars on the roads and planes in the air, the skies above cities are bluer than ever, pollution is at some of its lowest levels ever seen, rivers are becoming clearer, nature is returning to places it once roamed freely and yet the agricultural sector of our great nation is still working around the clock to put food on the tables of Kiwis and the rest of the world.
It’s always the minority who get media attention for all the wrong reasons.
People thrive on drama and enjoy having their opinion on events, industries and sectors they know nothing about.
I think a fair statement to say is that no business or person on this earth is perfect.
But I can say with confidence that more than 99% of farmers in NZ have the best intentions at heart, working for a better future for their children and the rest of the country.
Waterways are being fenced, trees are getting planted and animal welfare is number one priority on any farm throughout the country.
Ask any farmer why they love their job.
It’s because they get to work with animals or plants or crops and seeds every day, feel the fresh air daily and they’re not confined to an office but rather the seat of a tractor.
Every day is a new challenge but what they love the most is going to bed each night knowing they’ve contributed to both the health of their animals and a basic necessity that people need most – food.
Farmers have become the easy choice to be blamed, it seems, for the planet’s problems, all because people are unwilling to take a look at their own lifestyle choices and make sacrifices of their own.
Farmers go through immense change every year with droughts, storms, world markets crashing and climbing. They work long days in physically and emotionally demanding, extremely unpredictable situations. That’s what makes them some of the most resilient and adaptable people we have.
In a nation that was literally built from the sheep’s back now is the time to show gratitude and empathy for the rural people of NZ.
We must unite as a nation to enrich our lives and change the environment around us.
Who Am I?
Jack Fagan is a two-time world speed shearing champion.
