OVER the past six months or so, we've probably all had more than our share or "remember when?" moments.
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There's been "remember when we could fly overseas?". And "remember when we could visit gran in the nursing home?".
Even "remember when we used to drive into the office to go to work?" or "remember when people didn't fight over toilet paper in the supermarket aisle?".
But this week our "remember whens?" have been taking us back even further, back to the year 2000 to when Sydney hosted the Olympic Games.
Tuesday marked the 20th anniversary of the Sydney Opening Ceremony when millions of people across Australia, and billions more across the globe, tuned in to see a showcase of some of Australia's best performers and sporting greats - young and old.
What followed was an incredible two weeks when the eyes of the world remained fixed on the best we had to offer.
Most of us have only fond memories of the Games that were later dubbed the best ever and it's only natural that at a time when we've lost much as a society we might be tempted to recall a time when we seemed to have it all.
But, looking ahead, the promise of the Olympic Games still has much to offer us all.
Such has been the devastating impact of COVID-19 that 2020 has become the first time in the four-year cycle - outside of the two world wars - that an OIympics has not been held.
The Tokyo Games have been postponed to 2021 and the chance for the world to finally come together again will be a potent symbol of either humanity's triumph over the pandemic or ability to get on with life even during a pandemic - if they go ahead, of course.
If not, then all eyes will turn Paris 2024 and even Los Angeles 2028, because we have no choice but to keep moving forward.
We keep asking ourselves when we might return to the world we knew 12 months ago but we all know that the answer is never.
Pandemic or not, change is the only real constant in our lives and there's much more to be gained from looking ahead than looking back.
We can treasure our memories and tell ourselves that everything was better yesterday, but tomorrow is all that matters now.
Let's learn to be as excited about the future as we are nostalgic about the past.
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