After nine weeks, Harvest Launceston re-opened to the public.

Yes, it felt different. Stalls were strategically spaced apart, visitors were greeted with a spritz of hand sanitiser on arrival and the traditional chats and catch ups needed to be done from a safe distance.

But still, the event marked a significant morale boost for both stallholders and the community.

Because far beyond offering homegrown producers the chance to showcase their products, Harvest has always stood as a symbol of connectivity within the community.

A weekly ritual of catching up with friends and supporting local business.

And like many businesses, the Harvest team have found ways to carry on over the past few months.

But there was an overwhelming sense of optimism to be felt in the CBD on Saturday.

Still, while we take small steps to resuming a life that somewhat resembles normality, the reality is our lives have undoubtedly been changed forever.

Our government is moving cautiously, with fears over community complacency at the forefront of its planning.

So as restrictions continue to ease, we must remain vigilant and accept changes as they come.

Because we are in the same level of uncharted territory as we were going into this pandemic, and throughout it.

There is no point taking one step forward, if we will then have to take three steps back again.