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Amidst the outpouring of public support for our front-line pandemic heroes, let's not abandon the "back-line" ones! I'm thinking in particular of the full-time, informal, unpaid family caregivers, toiling away in their own homes behind closed doors. They may be single parents of young children, some of whom may have some challenging disabilities like autism, schizophrenia or behavioural issues. They may be caring for a parent, spouse or sibling with dementia or other complex physical, mental and emotional needs. They work 24/7, often at the expense of their own health and well-being, and they do it because... well, somebody has to do it and since the lockdown, there just ISN'T anyone else. Not in person, anyway. Not to do the real physical, hands-on, mundane tasks that need to be done.

The work may at times be rewarding. But much of the time, it's physically, mentally and emotionally exhausting - even soul-destroying. Under normal circumstances, these people could expect a certain amount of occasional support in the form of teen-aged babysitters, extended family, schools, day care centres and formalized community services. Now all that is gone.

The thing is, everyone needs a break. A reprieve. A respite. How else to replenish body and soul?

We talk about re-opening our "economy". But the trouble with economics is that it's not very good at counting and accounting for transactions where no money changes hands. "Productivity" is defined in terms of the amount of money "earned" (another highly loaded word!), even though that's not what we mean when we think about it or talk about it in everyday life. And yet... there are FAR more informal moneyless transactions and interactions going on in the world than there are formerly structured and monied ones.

Today is Giving Tuesday. The next phase of re-opening our world absolutely must offer some relief to these largely unsung heroes and heroines. Our future depends on it.