The Change Imperative
March 2020 was a dramatic example of The Change Imperative. Out of a blue – well, probably grey – sky, we were abruptly forced into sudden and enforced changes. WW2 was declared on 3rd September 1939. The unheralded, unwanted and unknown First Covid War was declared on 21st March 2020.
For the compulsory gas mask read face mask.
For air raid shelter read social distancing.
For sirens read ‘Next slide, please.’
For Dunkirk read ‘DunRoaming’
For The Few read The Many
For Alamein read Pfizer
For The Bouncing Bomb read The Von Damm Busters
For D-Day read V-Day for Vaccination
For ID Cards read Covid Passport
You see, we have been at war for over 14 months. And it will not be over by Christmas.
How have you reacted to The Change Imperative? Did you ever slightly bend the rules? Did you visit your own Barnard Castle? Did you volunteer for the Jab Brigade? Did you lockdown with intensity or with a degree of elasticity? Did you clap?
Did you make a positive effort –to keep fit, to keep learning, to improve your relationships, to communicate, to support those less well off than you? The list goes on. How will you answer the question ‘What did you do in the War, Grandad/Ma?’
Did you thrive, survive or die a wee bit? Did you become an artful Corporal Walker or a home spun Lance Corporal Jones?
Let me open the door on part of my Covid life. I thrived. Sorry to be so positive, sorry to be so cheerful about it all. But here was a golden opportunity – time available, home office available, inspiration available. All I had to do was to harness all the availabilities and get on with it.
An important part was writing a twice-monthly piece for the Recorder. I hope they resonated with you. You see, it encouraged me to do a bit more than write an occasional piece.
Page by page the piece became a book – The Optimum You. It has just been published.
It could/should/might change your life. 156 pages of hard won experience designed to show how in life’s adversity – war, if you like – you can prosper, develop and become a changed person. The Change Imperative becomes The Change Optimum.
The Club has generously offered to allow me to hold a virtual meeting to discuss The Optimum You with Members – date and time to be decided. I will also be talking to the Staff at the Autumn Staff Quarterly Meeting.
I am extremely grateful for these opportunities and for the chance to promote this book in the Recorder. You are a discerning readership. I welcome all feedback (especially positive!).
Let me sign off with a last-gasp piece of detail: The Optimum You book is available on Amazon and at all good booksellers.
My War and Piece.
Thank you.
Duncan Christie Miller – The Optimum You
Support for The Optimum You …
‘Over the last year Duncan Christie-Miller has written numerous pieces for the Recorder. These have proffered his views on a wide range of subjects to keep Members entertained and inspired during lockdown. He will continue to write the occasional piece. In this Recorder he is writing about how we have or have not changed during the lockdown periods over the last year. He is also referring to his new book – The Optimum You. I have bought two copies for the Staff library as I believe they are well worth reading for the practical wisdom and advice they contain. Duncan will be running a virtual book awareness meeting for Club Members sometime in the future and will be talking to the Staff at the Autumn Quarterly Staff meeting. So, thank you Duncan and good luck with sales of The Optimum You.‘