I – like millions of other people – have fallen in love with Ted Lasso. If you don’t know what it is – it’s a pay tv series about a small-town American football coach who is hired to coach a struggling English premier league soccer team.

So far – given the word soccer is in there – anyone who knows me won’t be surprised at my love of the series. It’s a fabulous, and at times very humorous, look at management and relationships. As well as the team and its relationships Ted and three of his fellow coaches form a group – in fact a men’s group – called The Diamond Dogs, to resolve emotional problems.

Given what’s happened to us all here in Sydney (and Melbourne) over the last months, many of us have faced emotional issues and problems. Now we’re out of lockdown I’ve been faced with something I’ve seen before – but not in such a pointed way. It’s how important what seem to be small relationships are in my life.

Going to the café and having a few words, also at the doctor or pharmacy, at the supermarket and the weekly grower’s market and also with complete strangers. There are many examples. I didn’t quite realise how they enrich my life.

My challenge (and one to you also) is to engage with all the people who look after me in so many ways. To look the person checking out my goods at the supermarket (don’t go self-serve, go for human contact) in the eye and engage and speak to them – let the mobile phone wait for another 5 minutes.

When they ask me how I am (as they’re probably trained to do) – I look them in the eye and tell them (not too much information !!) and ask them (wanting to know) how their day is going, when they finish their shift etc etc – it usually goes remarkably well.

It’s enriching for them and also enriching for me.

I want to remember what it was like in lockdown and keep valuing these small but important human contacts that seem to feed me so well.