Time or Tide

I was in Parliament today for the first time this year, having been working remotely. With only 8 weeks untill dissolution, I had already begun the process of clearing my office last month so that it can be swiftly prepared for a new occupant should I not be reelected. Like much of the country, Parliament feels a subdued and sombre place these days - the wide range of events, meetings and photo-ops now replaced with a succession of calls over the Internet. With several colleagues retiring at the coming election, there should have been a vedictory quality to these final weeks. Alas, there is little time to reflect on the past or contemplate the future when each day is consumed by responding to the pandemic.