This time, for many of us, is a time during which we find ourselves rediscovering both the ordinary and the common, perhaps realizing that we’d discounted their worth for far too long.
If I do take a walk around my apartment complex nowadays, which I didn’t get a chance previously, I do take a look at the trees during sunset. Sometimes it makes me wonder , how I could have missed observing them.
I will make the communication with friends and relatives much more common. We don't need a crisis to reach out to family in other parts of the country and ask how they are doing.
I saw a robin in the yard today and the colored leaves on the trees; they are always there!
Our cats lie in the sun and play with us as they always do.....so happy for their common lives.
I too am noticing different subtle sounds around the neighborhood and nearby suburban woods, sounds that were evidently drowned out under the bustle preceding our seclusion. I still hear the occasional groan and whine of yard equipment and wind chimes sometimes startle me, but I no longer hear the constant drone of the Interstate which is about 5 miles away (a quick guess). Far less traffic noise locally, fewer sirens, planes. And now I hear, actually overhear, muffled phone conversations and Zoom conferences taking place on porches and patios, in the street on walks, (events to which I’m not invited; I’m not deliberately eavesdropping), more birdsongs, frogs. I will greatly miss this quieter time when it is over. I am less distracted in this relative tranquility. I wish this was ordinary!
You are not abusing my patience, so thank you for yet another thought-provoking missive. Something that I often take for granted is my health. When I'm healthy I don't think too deeply about what that means. But in light of the current situation I am cognizant, multiple times a day, of just how fortunate I am to be able to stay at home and breath easily. As I write this, I too can hear the birds, and it makes me happy.
Many priceless works created in isolation. Dark night of the soul,st John of the Cross ; the epistles of St Paul( in prison ) Are just two. . Introspection and navel gazing ( looking downwards and inwards) without looking upwards and outwards , ( God and neighbour); are useless , narcissistic and even destructive if the gaze is only on ourselves. Look up ! Look out ! Wonder ! Praise! Thanksgiving!
Does anyone else secretly wish that the internet might also have to go through isolation as well? Set aside the fact that the world really would fall apart if it did. Wouldn't it be nice for the entire world to have an internet fast for a month? In the spirit of Josef Pieper's thoughts on contemplation, I think it would be useful to us all.
I read the other day (a business news site) that social media have prepared us for social distancing. Really? Should I have seen this coming? Are we experiencing an inevitability that was just waiting for the right state of affairs? What an unfortunate term. Why social, and not physical, distancing? The term is more freighted with meaning than we realize. As one who has chosen to (try to) limit "social media" engagement, realizing that comes with a price, I've felt myself simultaneously thrilled with new neighborliness and family togetherness out and about in our little community, and also drawn to spending some hours daily sifting through voluminous information and news coming my way. Very unusual for me. I am, however, reading it, and not watching it. There! I posted something:-)
I completely agree. This feels like one of the most beautiful springs I've witnessed, but then I think that I'm just watching this one so much more carefully than any before by practically living on my back porch for past weeks. The banquet was there, I just had not been responding to the invitation.
Been thinking about these issues, too. But in particular, what "home" will mean in the future given that many of us are getting "cabin fever" and feeling isolated in the very place we often go to escape the "world". Will home ever get back to "normal"? I keep coming back to Anthony Steinbock's Home and Beyond. Drawing on Husserl's work on generative phenomenology, he puts forward some fascinating observations about our experience of home and other terrain and territories, normalcy, concordance, what counts as optimal, and renewal that have stuck with me. Your distinction between normal and ordinary reminded me of some distinctions he makes. Might be worth a gander. ~ KDB
If some of us can come out the other side of this knowing there's a world out there that's not the work of our hands, that's fragile, dangerous, and beautiful all at once, it'll be one more gift given.
It's still cold here, but I'm going to open a window!
Just the other day I wondered this. I live on the fourth floor. Just vis a vis is a big tree (don't know its name) and for the last few days (one or two) I had my headphones when I heard the humming. I thought the music came from the audio but it was outside. The windows were all open, the sun was shining. These seemed to be at least a few dozen birds singing, chirping etc It felt like a corner of paradise. This is probably what I'll miss the most.
If I do take a walk around my apartment complex nowadays, which I didn’t get a chance previously, I do take a look at the trees during sunset. Sometimes it makes me wonder , how I could have missed observing them.
I will make the communication with friends and relatives much more common. We don't need a crisis to reach out to family in other parts of the country and ask how they are doing.
I saw a robin in the yard today and the colored leaves on the trees; they are always there!
Our cats lie in the sun and play with us as they always do.....so happy for their common lives.
I too am noticing different subtle sounds around the neighborhood and nearby suburban woods, sounds that were evidently drowned out under the bustle preceding our seclusion. I still hear the occasional groan and whine of yard equipment and wind chimes sometimes startle me, but I no longer hear the constant drone of the Interstate which is about 5 miles away (a quick guess). Far less traffic noise locally, fewer sirens, planes. And now I hear, actually overhear, muffled phone conversations and Zoom conferences taking place on porches and patios, in the street on walks, (events to which I’m not invited; I’m not deliberately eavesdropping), more birdsongs, frogs. I will greatly miss this quieter time when it is over. I am less distracted in this relative tranquility. I wish this was ordinary!
You are not abusing my patience, so thank you for yet another thought-provoking missive. Something that I often take for granted is my health. When I'm healthy I don't think too deeply about what that means. But in light of the current situation I am cognizant, multiple times a day, of just how fortunate I am to be able to stay at home and breath easily. As I write this, I too can hear the birds, and it makes me happy.
Many priceless works created in isolation. Dark night of the soul,st John of the Cross ; the epistles of St Paul( in prison ) Are just two. . Introspection and navel gazing ( looking downwards and inwards) without looking upwards and outwards , ( God and neighbour); are useless , narcissistic and even destructive if the gaze is only on ourselves. Look up ! Look out ! Wonder ! Praise! Thanksgiving!
Does anyone else secretly wish that the internet might also have to go through isolation as well? Set aside the fact that the world really would fall apart if it did. Wouldn't it be nice for the entire world to have an internet fast for a month? In the spirit of Josef Pieper's thoughts on contemplation, I think it would be useful to us all.
I read the other day (a business news site) that social media have prepared us for social distancing. Really? Should I have seen this coming? Are we experiencing an inevitability that was just waiting for the right state of affairs? What an unfortunate term. Why social, and not physical, distancing? The term is more freighted with meaning than we realize. As one who has chosen to (try to) limit "social media" engagement, realizing that comes with a price, I've felt myself simultaneously thrilled with new neighborliness and family togetherness out and about in our little community, and also drawn to spending some hours daily sifting through voluminous information and news coming my way. Very unusual for me. I am, however, reading it, and not watching it. There! I posted something:-)
I completely agree. This feels like one of the most beautiful springs I've witnessed, but then I think that I'm just watching this one so much more carefully than any before by practically living on my back porch for past weeks. The banquet was there, I just had not been responding to the invitation.
Been thinking about these issues, too. But in particular, what "home" will mean in the future given that many of us are getting "cabin fever" and feeling isolated in the very place we often go to escape the "world". Will home ever get back to "normal"? I keep coming back to Anthony Steinbock's Home and Beyond. Drawing on Husserl's work on generative phenomenology, he puts forward some fascinating observations about our experience of home and other terrain and territories, normalcy, concordance, what counts as optimal, and renewal that have stuck with me. Your distinction between normal and ordinary reminded me of some distinctions he makes. Might be worth a gander. ~ KDB
If some of us can come out the other side of this knowing there's a world out there that's not the work of our hands, that's fragile, dangerous, and beautiful all at once, it'll be one more gift given.
It's still cold here, but I'm going to open a window!
Just the other day I wondered this. I live on the fourth floor. Just vis a vis is a big tree (don't know its name) and for the last few days (one or two) I had my headphones when I heard the humming. I thought the music came from the audio but it was outside. The windows were all open, the sun was shining. These seemed to be at least a few dozen birds singing, chirping etc It felt like a corner of paradise. This is probably what I'll miss the most.