Life in the Age of Corona

A Daily Diary

Sunday, March 22nd, 2020

Virtual Reality

What a glorious day! The sun is shining, there is an a light breeze, the birds are singing and I have moved onto the garden couch, soaking up some sun before we head out for our daily walk. The news today continues to be mostly bleak in its outlook on how this will evolve, although there are lessons we can learn from Italy and be a little more prepared. Interesting also what people with significant experience in fighting epidemics have to say. 

Dwelling on this level of failure frustrates me. So I am looking for some of the more positive posts out there, and there are many. Someone shared this with me. It makes me think that I would really want to be in South Korea right now. It also illustrates - painfully so - what a well functioning government looks like. 

Very quickly it seems life is moving into virtual format. EM "went" to the movies with her friends last night. Each one made popcorn in the comfort of their home and via an extension to google chrome they watch a movie together, chatting on the side.

Encouraging also, that there are people out there who do not give up on their plans, like these musicians who jointly perform a concert.  Or this choir jointly remotely performing Somewhere Over the Rainbow.

This song fits well with the current rainbow project that my neighborhood is engaged in. I do wonder though who takes all of these videos, cuts them and publishes them. They look much more professional than what EM has produced for BCC TV, no critic intended, but I do wonder. As this continues, maybe we will yet become pro-videographers and editors as presumably this is not the last contribution she has made. And this by the way is the first web-site I have every created. So clearly upskilling - weird for someone specializing in digital financial services to be noting this. Maybe I will learn how to code next - depending on how long this lasts.

Not only movie nights and concerts are now conducted virtually, also the church service. The German Lutheran Church in Washington DC (actually located in MD, but let's not split hairs) has for the first time conducted a virtual service using zoom. I did want to spare people our appearance so dialed in - sadly, the conference line was never opened, so could not join. I am sure they will figure out technology for next week's service. 

Not that we are overly religious, but I do get how a common service can give comfort. Because sometimes, we may need reassurance that we are not alone, not alone with our fears, not alone with our questions, not alone with our hopes. I am beginning to understand my father better, who turn to the church in the last ten or so years of his life.

My grandmother was a very religious person and taught my sister and I to say our prayers at night. This included giving thanks for the people in our lives, the good things that had happened during the day and asking for strength and support to cope with challenges we faced. I think it is this dialogue and reflection which instills in me a deep inner peace. This ability to have an inner dialogue is what I hope to have passed on to my daughter when I taught her her prayers. It is also a nice way of reflecting on the past day and just winding down. 

That does not mean I do not have my challenges with the church. For decades I have struggled to consolidate my various believe systems and spiritual approaches with what the bible teaches us. Until one day, I just stopped trying. Maybe we do not need to consolidate everything. Maybe not everything in life needs to make sense. Just take what works from whatever spirituality is out there. So play the Tarot as a means of self reflection, believe in re-birth and so on. No matter what it is you believe in, I find there is immense comfort in rituals, which is probably why I at age 50 something still insist on a Christmas tree and will hide (and seek!) Easter eggs. Given our diving vacation in Uerto Rico for srping break is cancelled, we this year for the first time in four, will be at home. I found some colors, so we will be boiling eggs, decorating and hiding them.

On rituals: Scott Kelly shared his experience of life on the International Space Station and the importance of rituals and structure to keep sane, comparing life on ISS with life in the age of Corona.

On the notion of hope: Inspired by Italy, the neighborhood has embarked on a rainbow project. Below is one of the largest specimens out on the road: