This time has brought upon one of the few tragic symptoms of being human: impatience. The days seem to blur together and it’s already been a month of waiting for it to be over. Not to mention, the prioritization of mental health is always incredibly important, but especially during this period of isolation. As the quarantine blues kick in, I personally have no idea how to start romanticizing this time. So this? This is an experiment. A trial to make the best of this brutal period and appreciate the middle moments. An ode to the time that lies between now and metaphorical May, when wonderful things will take their place again.
The first of a few good things that come to mind is nature. Spring is the season of rebirth, when yards return to their previous life and turn from grey to green, when blue-skied days become less spread apart, and when flowers begin to grow again. This springtime experience will be different, but it will carry the same signs of natural shift from the cold grey of winter to the colorful rush of spring. Now more than ever, it’s cool to appreciate the outside world, notice the sun, and realize how far it traveled to get here.
With many hours to do anything within our homes, the art of losing track of time is becoming so much easier. I love the days when I realize I’ve been painting or writing for hours without noticing it, with paint-covered hands and filled journals to prove it. I’ve definitely noticed just how easy it is to spend time on your phone, but I’ve tried to put it away often and get lost in the tangible world instead. Finding an art form is a good experiment activity, because it requires you to be looking for something wonderful to give attention to that previously didn’t have it.
Silver linings seem harder to find now, but they exist anywhere. It’s nice to hear about what everyone else is doing with their free time, as well as appreciate the good things that are happening around the world. The Youtube channel “Some Good News” is a nice weekly reminder of simple happy things to celebrate. It’s also cool to walk or drive around and see so many more families than before outside on walks, kids covering their driveways in colored chalk, etc. The technology we have today makes all of this much easier as well. Although in-person interaction is so much better, we’re able to break the distance with screens and letters, which I’m very grateful for. In a time so lacking of breaks from the monotonous, it’s important to be looking for these effortlessly good things.
The final good thing is the idea of the return to the fast-paced world. The thought of one day being outside again is definitely getting me through this experience. Although the unknown length of time we have to be in this is scary, we will someday be able to hug our friends again, go to concerts, and grab a cup of coffee without thinking twice, and it’ll be that much better after going through all of this. But until then, we’ll do the best we can to get by.