“Every little thing is difficult right now.” That is a paraphrase of a random internet comment I saw a few days ago, and it’s stuck with me. (Will someone please stop letting me read internet comments?)
Our regular, mundane activities have all been tinged with trauma.
The act of providing ourselves and our families with what we need to survive is now a whole operation; it requires careful planning and surgical precision. Exercise carries risk; walking or jogging or biking comes with new unwritten rules about getting off the same sidewalk as someone else, and timing it strategically. We have to plan self-care and work to uphold our relationships - both within our homes and outside.
Working, for many of us who are still lucky enough to do it, has changed, bringing new technologies or a lack of space or now being combined with childcare. Or for some, it has become filled with danger and chaos. (For me, work has remained largely the same, except I am extremely distracted.)
All of our activities are tinged with trauma and they are exhausting us. So if your day feels like slow slog through mud, I’d guess it’s because you are having to re-learn how to live your entire life.
I’ve been working on art I can’t show you yet. But I did these houses a few years ago. I have always liked to draw and paint simple little houses. Today, having a house is a privilege like it has never been before. My past-life as an almost architect has me analyzing the ways people are redefining their living space; how is this trauma leaving a physical mark on our built world?
If you want something pretty to look at, you can buy prints of these guys on a pay-what-you-can basis. To get a discount, use the code HOME at checkout!