In the Graphic Medicine Drawing group tonight, our host read us the following paragraph:
"Historically, pandemics have forced humans to break with the past and imagine their world anew. This one is no different. It is a portal, a gateway between one world and the next. We can choose to walk through it, dragging the carcasses of our prejudice and hatred, our avarice, our data banks and dead ideas, our dead rivers and smoky skies behind us. Or we can walk through lightly, with little luggage, ready to imagine another world. And ready to fight for it." (Ahrundhati Roy)
Our drawing task tonight was (in c. 12 minutes) to draw what we see on either side of such a portal.
This is what I managed to draw (it sounds long, but 12 minutes passes very quickly):
I am gingerly making my way through the portal, but still very tentative. Not sure if I'm ready or able to face this brave new world. And here's the thing about the mask - it is really driving me nuts at the moment to see so many people outside without a mask and not keeping a healthy distance from others. I want to scream at them, PUT YOUR BLOODY MASK ON! I just don't understand why people see it as an attack on their personal freedom. If I wear a mask, it is to try and protect YOU. And it won't work very well if you don't do it as well, since success depends on a mutual commitment to the method.
When asked to speak about my drawing to the group I said, I'd like to leave behind the idea that one is protecting oneself, and bring with the idea of supporting each other. The reason I am still neither in nor out of the portal is because I am conflicted. I want to do the right thing, but still hold onto some worry for my personal safety.
Nu, governments everywhere are opening life up much more this coming week. I hope we can find a balance between relief from the stress of lockdown, and needing to maintain the most scrupulous standards of protection against the virus. The hot weather that is expected for the next few months may keep the germs at bay for a while, but we shouldn't forget all the asymptomatic carriers out there.
Stay safe and stay well!
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