Stacey Atkinson, Whistfulnes (PLACES 2022)

My 2 year old daughter had a hard time isolating when we both contracted the Delta Covid-19 virus in October 2021. It started to rain on day 17 of iso. She eagerly grabbed her gumboots and waited at the front door saying ‘puddies’. I couldn’t resist her excitement after feeling so helpless during recovery of covid so we ventured outside. I decided to join her jumping in the puddles and in this moment I looked at her and felt so grateful to be living this life with her, enjoying the simplicity of puddles, not worrying about the future, just living in the present moment and absorbing all the innocence she radiated. Everyday she reminds me that happiness can be found in the smallest of things, even in the middle of a pandemic.

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