NEW YEAR
The Isolation Blues;
reflections during covid-19
In proportion as I have celestial thoughts, is the necessity for me to be out and behold the western sky before sunset these winter days. That is the symbol of the unclouded mind that knows neither winter nor summer. What is your thought like? That is the hue, that the purity, and transparency, and distance from earthly taint of my inmost mind, for whatever we see without is a symbol of something within and that which is farthest off is the symbol of what is deepest within.
Every leaf and twig was this morning covered with a sparkling ice armor; even the grasses in exposed fields were hung with innumerable diamond pendants, which shook when brushed by the foot of the traveller. It was literally the wreck of jewels and the crash of gems. It was as though some superincumbent stratum of the earth had been removed in the night, exposing to light a bed of untarnished crystals. The scene changed at every step, or as the head was inclined to the right or left. There were the opal and sapphire and emerald and jasper and beryl and topaz and ruby. Such is beauty ever, – neither here not there, now nor then, – neither Rome nor Athens, but wherever there is a soul to admire…What other impulse do we wait for? Let us preserve religiously, secure, protect the coincidence of our life with the life of nature. Else what are heat and cold, day and night, sun, moon, and stars to us? Was it not from sympathy with the present life of nature that we were born at this epoch rather than at another?
from The Journals of Henry David Thoreau
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As I was sitting down to write this end of the year post I went back to review last year’s to see what had changed in the past twelve months. Regarding the already lengthy covid pandemic I wrote, “We’re hopeful this will only be a one year interruption, but who knows at this point?” Well, here we are a year later with not a lot of improvement, and in some cases worse off than last year, but there are new reasons for an increasingly positive outlook. The covid vaccines are providing an effective means to stave off the worst effects of the virus and lowering hospitalizations and fatalities. And even with the development of new variants such as Delta and Omicron the vaccines are proving effective. We also have an increased understanding of the transmission and characteristics of the virus so we can better implement strategies to contain the spread, establish safe practices in social and business settings with less disruption and inconvenience. The pandemic is now transitioning to an endemic, meaning the virus will most likely always be with us but we have ways to manage its harmful effects. We are still adjusting to the ever changing specifics of the crisis but it feels as if we are now moving forward with a bit more optimism and momentum for future days.
When I walk out into a winter day with snow and cold sky the strident conditions alone are enough to keep my mind keen and my collar turned up high. Thoreau commends us to retain nature as our close ally and to not be distracted by the collateral turbulence of the world and its demands. It’s all too easy to be pulled down or disillusioned by the network news or global challenges that humanity faces. In the same way that nature is persistently enduring and adaptive no matter what the date on the calendar or period of history, so too are we a part of nature and have the same innate capacities. Whenever someone asks me what time in world history I would like to live if I had a choice, I always answer right here and now. Perhaps I’m too attached to modern technology, Netflix and my smart phone, but overall I find these days and the upcoming years to be most remarkable and hold great potential for the evolution of humanity and nature and the advancement of enlightened society. This may sound strange, but I believe it’s no coincidence that you and I are alive right now and not at some other time. I challenge you in the new year to make the most of this unique opportunity (of being you and being on this planet) and find ways to contribute to the increase of compassion, justice, knowledge and peace in our world.
Happy New Year 2022!
In the woods,
Dave
December 30, 2021