How quickly and completely life can change in only a few months. in January I was starting the year with fresh ideas and had organized my reading piles to create a more manageable area where I could maybe find the book I was looking for. I would never have imagined life could capsize like it has and thrown us all out of the boat to try and swim and stay afloat. And I consider myself lucky for living in the Midwest where we are only slowly beginning to see how devastating COVID-19 is. I can barely wrap my head around what the world is dealing with, and I don't think I can write about it in ways that others have managed to so empathetically and beautifully (and painfully).
Although the academic library where I work has not completely closed down (last week we were closed for spring break, but as virtual classes pick up again tomorrow the library will be open for students only to use the wifi and have a study space but with extremely limited services--which will be revisited weekly to assess how long we continue in that capacity), I have been working fro home for the last week. It is challenging, but manageable and the more I listen to world and national news the more I appreciate the strict measures that are needed to try and slow things down.
I have been trying hard to maintain some kind of routine which means normal (at home) work hours and daily walks outside where I know I can have the space almost entirely to myself, but with all the heaviness that comes with the anxiety of seeing what is happening--albeit from a distance, I find that I am more tired now than when I was commuting and working out and generally very busy every day. However, not going to work on the bus and no gym workouts that included long stretches walking on a treadmill mean my reading has mostly taken a serious dive. In light of what is going on, of course, it does not matter, but reading has always served as a respite from normal worries and a little escapism is a good thing in stressful times.
I am not buying books, not borrowing them and apparently barely reading them. This weekend, however, I at least organized them! I inherited a new bookcase, which I have added to that book corner. What has gone on the shelves is not really very well planned, mostly just pell mell, books that caught my eye that I had not looked at or thought about for a long time. I am sure I will shift them about over time. But the act of messing about with piles of books did offer a nice respite this weekend from the news.
I might not be reading anywhere near as much as I like, but today the sun is shining, I and my family are well and healthy. I have more stories of different lives and worlds and places--literally at my fingertips on those shelves at the ready . And I will get my reading groove back soon, I hope! I do have to go into work tomorrow for a short while to do some business that cannot be easily attended to from home, but I will not have to be in a public area. It is strange how quickly we become accustomed to a new normal. Now to see anyone standing near other people gives me not a little anxiety and I avoid public places as much as possible, but I look forward to the time when this crisis passes and we can all be together again in non-virtual ways.
I sincerely hope, my friends, that you and your families are all well and remain healthy. I am sorry I have been absent--only a matter of no inspiration or energy to post here, though I am trying to be a little more present on Instagram if you happen to be there as well. If I can manage a couple of posts a week, I will try, and maybe that is a way we can all be together virtually and perhaps my reading will get a boost too. I may not post here as much as regular, but I always love comments and would love to hear how you are doing and what you are reading! Stay well!!