New
measures, quite shattering if one lives alone, as I do. I thought I could
handle it, but realise that because I live alone, I always have to go out to
meet people, to see things, to have company. I go to choir practice, sing every
Sunday in the church choir, go to museums with a friend, go for a walk on the
beach, alone or with others. This time, leading up to Easter, the most sacred
time in the Christian year, is usually full of music, Passions, contemplative and
finally happy music, singing in Haarlem and The Hague. Besides, we have the
three choir practices for our cathedral week in England in July. Not just an
enjoyable time because of the music we practice, but we also meet with friends
we may not have seen for a long time. No choral Festival, although that may
take place in June and perhaps by then we may have more freedom. But travel
might still be out of bounds. At the Choral Festival we are trained by a
professional musician from England. Is travel for this choirmaster possible?
Are we allowed to travel to England in July when we are supposed to sing the services for a
week in Portsmouth Cathedral? Yes, we are allowed to go for a solitary walk. If
we live with other family members, we may even walk together. But for singles
like me, there is no chance of company. If we live alone, we live for the moments
when we can meet loved ones who are not necessarily family. Till June 1st
this is not allowed. Is it more dangerous for (elderly) singles to have contact
with friends as there is a chance of being infected by this nasty virus, or is
it worse when we have to live for three months without any human contact? Not to
be touched, no shoulder to lean on, no hugs. The only time we can meet with
just a few people is at funerals, not exactly the events which might cheer us
up. And even then, no handshakes, keeping a distance of 1,5 meters, no moment together
with something to drink, just no socializing at all. At least in the Decameron
people were quarantined together. And in Love in the time of Cholera, people
did touch and did make love. It will pass, of course it will, but when??? And will
our friends come back to us?
Yes, Anne Franck
lived in a very cramped space for a long time with family members, too many, with
fear for their lives. It was worse, far worse as FB points out to us. But she wasn’t
alone. It is a false comparison. It was wartime, but we live in a time of
peace, and our freedom now seems to have turned into an open prison. So, what
is it to be: Spring clean the house? Cook fancy meals for ourselves if we can
get hold of the ingredients? Sew a new wardrobe in the hope we’ll survive this
virus? Declutter the house? Tend the garden? Knit? Take a free online course in
one of the many courses on offer? Or perhaps write stories or even a novel, as
Camus, Marquez and Boccaccio did. After all, writing is something one has to do
in isolation.
We are of
course not alone in this. Let us all write that novel we always dreamt of. Or
find out that sadly we have no talent and tick it off our bucket list for good.
We’ll get through this, with or without our novel.
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