Into the Woods
Rebecca Solnit is so smart.
At least, she is in her essay about how fairytales are the stories we need in this moment. For one, “fairytale characters are given tasks that are often unfair verging on impossible, imposed by the more powerful.” In this case, our more powerful is a virus. “They are often mastered by alliances with other overlooked and undervalued players.” Essential workers such as grocery workers and truck drivers come to mind.
Solnit writes, “We [a]re ourselves in the middle of a fairytale, and that at present our difficult task [i]s to stay home.”
Which doesn’t sound hard when you write it out. Stay home. That’s what I do all the time, anyway.
But somehow, it’s really hard. Not seeing people is hard. Constantly being on Zoom calls is hard. Not being able to nip into the library or grab a head of lettuce for Linus or hang out in the post office speaking with a neighbour is hard because all those things are normal. They’re not really interactions I crave, but I miss them because they represent normal and non-scary. And what we’re left with is abnormal and scary.
The wolf in the woods.
Somehow, having it said makes me feel better: “We are in the middle and the end is not in sight. We are waiting, which is among most people’s least favorite thing to do, when it means noticing that you have taken up residence in not knowing.”
We’re telling ourselves stories right now. And that’s okay, as long as we know they’re just stories until we get to the end of the book and we actually know what happens next.
3 comments
Reading that allergies and allergy-based asthma may have some protective effects has calmed my Covid-19 hypochondria, at least. I have now moved to irritation over the subversion of my plans. But since I would beore likely to be a carrier, it’s more important than ever to be patient and avoid people…especially as I am an essential worker.
(I do not really consider myself essential – the services we provide are generally important to court schedules and courts are closed right now. But in reality, we have had more rush cases in the last 6 weeks than we’ve had in the last year. I don’t know what’s going on with that.)
*be more
It IS hard. You’re right – I miss the little things where we could “pop out” and do all sorts of things. My husband has been doing the shopping for us once a week when he does his father’s shopping – but I really miss getting to choose what I want/need/decide to pick up when I see it on the shelf. lol I’m going to have to go shopping soon.
We’re reading a story and don’t know how or when it is going to finish. And the uncertainty is hard for everyone. I’m trying not to think about when I’ll be able to travel again. Just trying to focus on what I can do, not on what I can’t. It’s easier said than done.