My stock answer has always been, “I’m doing well.” There are no more stock answers. In the last nine months I have gone from being optimistically enthusiastic to thinking deeply about everything — especially time — and how we’ve been robbed. I am healthy and grateful — living in the present — not going too far into the future, existing in waves. I find myself hoping for the best but anticipating the worst.

First biggest concern is my elderly mother and relatives…how will time rob them of seeing and hugging each other? Then the millions worldwide who need help. I think on these all the time. Not caring is not an option. We are not in the same storm, not the same boat. The pandemic is painful. It has stripped us to the core, and the five stages of grieving ensue — a rough roller-coaster ride. But like all trauma silver linings ensue.

I am taking time to recalibrate and reprioritise – listening – to the renewed call for justice and equity, forgiving and forgetting, reasoning with and calling friends, asking how they are doing.

In ‘meeting the moment,’ I have delved further into my charitable works, which now includes funding COVID-19 research. Education, health, environment and social justice are still my focus. The call for social justice had me participating in a high-level committee against racism for Asian Canadians. I am also now on the BlackNorth Initiative Board, and a member of the advisory board to Onyx Initiative. These extraordinary Canadian initiatives are a call to action on ‘levelling the playing field’ for Black Canadians and by extension women and people of colour.

I remain hopeful — not seeing the glass half-empty or half-full — but, rather, choosing a bigger glass, confident that our grandchildren will finally have that ‘brave new world’ we promised. I hope it will be kinder, fairer, and more compassionate.