An ancient curse is, “may you live in interesting times.” These are indeed interesting times.

Just as men with far right beliefs have been elected to power, there seems to be more people rising up to expose and defeat them. Just as social media made it easier for men to harass women, brave women have taken a stand and exposed those predators. The world has risen up to protest police violence against those who are BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Colour). And we have simultaneously helped and fought each other in the face of COVID-19.

Change, even if it’s for the good, is stressful. I’m hoping that many of the changes brought about by COVID-19 are permanent, such as shopping locally, growing our own food, and making our own bread. Spending more time with our families is the new normal. We have time to read more books. We have more time to take out of what were our busy days to think about our lives and to reflect inward. We are in a position to inspect our relationships, to weed out people who are only a source of stress, and to cultivate the relationships that add value to our quality of life.

I fully believe we are in the Age of Aquarius with so many changes in the world. Many astrologers see the Age of Aquarius as that time when humanity takes control of the Earth and its own destiny as its rightful heritage, with the destiny of humanity being the revelation of truth and the expansion of consciousness. Some people will experience mental enlightenment in advance of others and therefore be recognized as the new leaders in the world. It seems to me that the world has become more polarized; we are seeing the very best and the very worst of people. Sometimes I find it hard to believe that we are one species. There are some selfish and bigoted people who have been given a voice by certain politicians, while other people have been led by people who work tirelessly for justice and goodness.

In these days of change I hope everyone is taking advantage of the last of the season to get fresh air and sunshine to prepare ourselves for a new season in this Age of Aquarius. I hope everyone is taking care of themselves so we can all be stronger.

Manon is a resident of Boyle Street and an active volunteer in the community. This column contains her own opinions, and is not affiliated with the Boyle Street Community League.