I phoned my sister tonight. She lives in Melbourne.

I actually haven't seen her, hugged her, touched her since January 4th!

We speak on the phone regularly; about her puppy, the book she’s writing (number 8), life, what she’s up to, her partner Gil, and, well, just life! She’s 10 years older than me, lives in a restored cottage in Fitzroy North and is one of the most intelligent people I know. When I say intelligent I mean ‘thought provokingly intelligent’ (she’s a Dr, an academic Dr.) a Fellow at the University of Melbourne, so genuinely intelligent.

She makes me think, she makes me recalibrate, consider and ponder. What I think is normal, natural and beyond debate, may not be after a chat with her. Not many people have that effect on me. She does; about life, my opinions, and about the current  Covid situation!

We’ve lost a lot. We lost Mum, we lost Dad, we lost another sister.

But amongst all of our personal tragedy she’s never wavered. She’s never revealed her vulnerability - perhaps because of the decade difference, or the oldest child syndrome.

She is Anne. My mother, my father, my mentor, my sister, my friend, my rock.

Tonight as Melbourne goes into lock down again - I saw her vulnerability for the first time. That is rare.

Melbourne we love you!

As you bunker down yet again, remember you are our free spirit, you are our cultural heart beat, our art loving contemporary older sister.

Don’t over think the perplexity of this unknown future. You’re not losing your independence, you’re creating a new one - it’s up to you to keep that free spirit we know and love you for.

Be strong Melbourne.

This too will end.