Dear reader,

When Genesis played its last concert the other day, this writer was lucky enough to be in the audience. As it so happens: The evening’s play list also included the song whose name I borrowed for today’s headline. The title could hardly be more apt, considering the current state of affairs. Sadly so.

Spring is in the air, with building activities picking up steam as the days gets warmer, and everything could be ship shape. But it is not: War, accelerating inflation, inadequate infrastructure and the chronic issue of climate change that keeps waiting to be addressed. Does this paint too bleak a picture? I don’t think so. But the question is how do we handle these issues and what can be done to address them?

I for one would like to propose that we, as an industry, should step up to the plate by doing what we do best, using our core competence: thinking and acting for the long term. To keep working hard to improve the ecological footprint of our investments is the best way to ensure that these conflicts are resolved. At least it is something we can actively contribute.

“Arguably our core competence: thinking and acting for the long term.”

And doing one thing does not have to mean you can do nothing else. On the contrary: The assistance that war refugees from Ukraine are getting these days, not least through the special commitment of our industry, is truly awesome! I, for one, would like to seize this opportunity to express my appreciation of it.

That said, I must be off to go get eggs. Despite all the confusion: Some things will never change, luckily so.