Lent Reflection #21: Lent in the Time of Coronavirus
The bird a nest, the spider a web, man friendship.William Blake, Proverbs from Hell
Let me start by saying that my quotation here of this work by Blake is not a recommendation of its philosophy, although it is an interesting set of "poems" about the Romantic movement for a literary person. I only quote it here because of its connection to this disquieting and surreal moment we are living through.
People are social animals, Aristotle said (sort of). We do not do isolation well. We need each other, we need physical presence. In a time of fear, we need each other more, and that is what the experts are demanding we neglect. The last time of national emergency, 9/11/2001, we flocked to each other. I have gone to my office three days this week and will go in a bit. I just want to see if there are other humans. I had an online video meeting this morning. It's just not the same.
So it is Lent and Easter is upon us, and we will be warned not to worship as believers have for two thousand years.
I personally fear the isolation will lead to more suicides and mental health problems. That makes it all the more important to reach out to others as much as possible by any means possible that is not contagion-inducing.
Now, I confess that a part of me wonders if this is some social experiment concocted by, well, the powers that be. Yes, that's paranoid and foolish.....
Still, friendship, community, relationship: these are our "home," our nest and web.
(The title of this post is a parody of "Love in the Time of Cholera," a book I haven't read but perhaps will now.)
Let me start by saying that my quotation here of this work by Blake is not a recommendation of its philosophy, although it is an interesting set of "poems" about the Romantic movement for a literary person. I only quote it here because of its connection to this disquieting and surreal moment we are living through.
People are social animals, Aristotle said (sort of). We do not do isolation well. We need each other, we need physical presence. In a time of fear, we need each other more, and that is what the experts are demanding we neglect. The last time of national emergency, 9/11/2001, we flocked to each other. I have gone to my office three days this week and will go in a bit. I just want to see if there are other humans. I had an online video meeting this morning. It's just not the same.
So it is Lent and Easter is upon us, and we will be warned not to worship as believers have for two thousand years.
I personally fear the isolation will lead to more suicides and mental health problems. That makes it all the more important to reach out to others as much as possible by any means possible that is not contagion-inducing.
Now, I confess that a part of me wonders if this is some social experiment concocted by, well, the powers that be. Yes, that's paranoid and foolish.....
Still, friendship, community, relationship: these are our "home," our nest and web.
(The title of this post is a parody of "Love in the Time of Cholera," a book I haven't read but perhaps will now.)
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