june 8 (from my facebook post, the unlocking of italy ?? / day 36 ):
i’ve been watching events unfold in the u.s. from my vantage point in europe. i’ve felt outraged, saddened, angered, shocked. i’ve also been reading and crying and listening and discussing, trying to comprehend everything that’s going on. and i’ve pondered and pored over numerous posts, videos, and comments on social media – people sharing why they support the black lives matter movement, others saying why they think all lives matter, and still others reminding us of blue lives.
i’ve been thinking a lot about my mom too, and how she would be reacting to all of this right now. because she was the first real activist i ever knew. as a child, she fought for the underdog in every situation. and as an adult, she was the first to fight against any type of oppression. and i don’t mean she marched in protests. in fact, i don’t think she ever did. what i mean is that she would put herself directly in the middle if she witnessed an injustice of any kind, especially racism. she was tough and she was fair and she was oh-so-brave, the bravest woman i’ve ever known. she was kind and loving too, and could always make you feel safer. if she were alive today, i’m not sure that she’d be marching. maybe, maybe not. i am absolutely certain, however, that she’d be supporting the #blacklivesmatter movement. she’d be jumping into the fray to speak up and defend and help in any way she could, making people feel safer (with lots of love and kindness).
for me, “the daily social distancing show” was a ray of sunlight amidst much darkness during this pandemic. trevor noah’s intelligent wit soon became a familiar lockdown routine, as we sat down to dinner each evening. on may 29 he shared a particularly raw video, and his words hit home for me. i watched it several times, and i keep replaying it over and over again in my head. because he explains so clearly the way i personally see things >> “society is a contract that we sign as human beings with each other. whether spoken or unspoken, we agree in this group to common rules, common ideals, and common practices that are going to define us as a group. and the contract is only as strong as the people who abide by it.”
in closing, i’ll just echo the analogy that has made the most sense to me in the past couple of weeks . . . though all homes matter, the firefighter needs to focus on the one currently in flames. #icantbreathe
i’m not a liberal, i’m not a conservative. i just want my friends who experience this fire 365 days a year to feel safer. i want them to continue to breathe.
and now, another look back in time . . .
march 23 (from my facebook post, lockdown in italy day 14):
my husband rode his bike to the village post office this morning to pick up a certified letter. on his way, he was stopped by the local carabinieri (doing the routine check to see where people are going). when he showed him the slip, the kind policeman smiled and said “multa” – a citation, this time for driving in the ZTL, or restricted zone. (still trying to figure out when/where since he’s quite careful about that.) only one person allowed into the post office at a time, and today a 45-minute wait in the carefully spaced line outside.
after that, he stopped at the farmacia to pick up my B12 solution. there is now only a window, no more going inside at all. one at a time, of course, with social distancing. the masked-and-gloved pharmacist (one of two who are always warm and friendly) told him (as both always do) to say hello to me ❤️
then this afternoon e. took his weekly trip to the grocery store. waiting outside for the third time today, now two meters apart. everyone is required to put gloves on when entering the store (and, of course, be wearing masks). all was orderly and everyone respectful, but not the usual italian banter and joviality we’ve become so used to. instead the eerie quiet that has descended upon our world. each selects their items, keeps their distance, pays the checker (who is wearing a mask and gloves), and leaves.
all sad, but necessary, measures. everyone kind and calm.
as we all know, life is pretty surreal right now. and we are all, no matter our location in the world, experiencing much of the same emotions pulsing through us . . . fear, disbelief, anxiety, distraction, uneasiness, anger, helplessness, frustration . . . the whole gamut.
hope too, however, and even a renewed sense of love and connection. because we truly are in this thing together ❤
the fact that the world consists of people with differing belief systems (cultural, religious, political) is truly what makes life interesting and exciting to me, one of the reasons i’ve loved traveling so much. yet those different viewpoints continue to cause so much strife throughout our planet.
countries and individuals are coming together now, however, despite their differences, to help each other out. with medical supplies, extra doctors, singing, sewing, support in whatever way is possible (like staying home). exactly what is needed, if we’re going to get through this historical pandemic crisis . . . kindness, courtesy, labor, assistance. respect for human life.
march 24 (from my facebook post, lockdown in italy day 15):
breathing ball (hoberman sphere), jade eye mask, singing bowl with mallet, spiky rolling ball (for acupressure points on feet), jade roller, gua sha tools . . . some of the ways, along with qigong, that i am bringing serenity to my days
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