The world is changing fast around us: many of us are now confronting real fear for the survival of our loved ones, our friends, ourselves. There is even the whispered threat of possible societal breakdown in the future of some countries. Amid all of this, we are perforce learning new ways of living, interacting and working. A psychologist in private practice tells me that the levels of anxiety amongst the clients seen this week are higher than ever before. Yesterday I carried out our weekly shop and throughout that exercise felt something approaching tangible fear just from being out and about in what is normally a very safe area that is well known to me: a truly unsettling feeling.
As I sat working on the final chapter of Through my Eyes. Again. this week, I felt at odds with the world in many different ways: my book is set in the past, the threat of nuclear annihilation is one which has (hopefully) passed but most of all because Will's fictional problems seem insignificant in the light of what is happening around us.
And yet I find solace in writing: its forced involvement in a world apart allows some perspective when I return to reality and that is important at times like this. In the online world, we are bombarded with information, much of it very dark at present: being able to pull back has allowed me to maintain some personal balance in spite of the gales of change buffeting us. So far all my friends and loved ones are safe and, with a little gentle chiding in one case, they have adopted all the measures that give them the best chance of staying safe even though they are scattered across several continents and in many countries where Covid-19 is reaping differing dark harvests of sickness and death.
So, if TMEA is allowing you to escape and then provide some perspective when you return to our world from Will's, perhaps my writing is in a very small way contributing to the overall journey through this particular vale of tears.
Stay safe!
Physically (but not socially) distance yourself!
Wash your hands!