Isolation, Surreal Times - Modern Man

Thirty something days into the lockdown we walked the River Banks everyday together, our new found freedom of time away from our everyday lives, time from work, time from consuming, time from making plans, we were suddenly thrust into each day, no distractions nothing after now, as we should everyday finally enjoying the moment, enjoying where we live, enjoying life and our time together.

As others suffered & died and the battle waged around the world against the new strain of Virus we locked down as we were told to do and in return were allowed something we are usually stripped of; Time.

Cautiously we walked everyday, we timed our walks to avoid others and did so successfully, at first when the wind blew in our faces we worried that we had done the wrong thing and shouldn't have ventured outside, but then reasoned if this was to be our last few weeks or months of living we wanted to see the day. We returned from our walk and stripped our clothes, washed our hands and cleaned with anti bac spray, until the next day.

As we walked we held our breath as others passed us, as we passed gateways and fences we avoided contact. At first we were out of breath and sweating as we walked but quickly we adapted and became faster, more resilient and enjoyed the walk.

We kept our time down to the hour or so recommended, instructed. We became faster and covered more distance.

After time our caution eased in this The Lost Spring, guiltily we reflected we had gained so much as others suffered but that I suppose is true of life everyday, yet the battle is a long way from done. Maybe our luck will fair differently in the months and years to follow, we hope not and in the mean time we walk.

As we walked the tracks and paths through parks, fields and along the River Bank we noticed the wildlife around us more, with each day we saw more, at first we reasoned that as the cities became quiet and calmed the wildlife emerged and then we realised that the wildlife had always been there, as it had everyday. It wasn't the wildlife emerging in the silence of man it was man emerging in the silence of the city. As we slowed down and walked without purpose, as we walked for the sake of walking, as we walked for the pleasure of the day we became aware of our surroundings. The weather reports began to lose their meaning as we found out for ourselves the wind of the day, the sun or rain, the heat or cold now immersed in our environment. We saw birds, rabbits & deer, we passed our fellow community members walking to, we made distance between us but said hello, morning, afternoon, we smiled and nodded, some stopped and talked and the spirit of community grew.

As we walked the banks, this time camera in hand, ready to capture a glimpse of the deer that only the day before had crossed our path or us his and had stopped and looked at us as we looked at him.

We turned the meandering River and in the distance a lone silhouette of a person sat perched on the edge of a short fishing boardwalk, hood pulled up head down.

As we passed they looked down towards the water, perhaps finding solace and peace against the flowing river an eerie feeling, an atmosphere of sorrow, of pain, of suffering filled the bank that day.

We quickly remembered that the lockdown for some is a traumatic experience, no escape from the brutality of an abusive spouse, partner or family member. The time we realised we had missed and now enjoyed so much, for another is a nightmare, a nightmare that is a long way from over. Children in homes filled with instability, fear, uncertainty, a father who usually leaves for work & the family can gain respite is now home 24/7. Parents in the grip of addiction down drink after drink, day after day, wild arguments fueled by booze and drugs that children can usually escape from at school and find some thread of stability of support, a lifeline, are now taken away. The lonely and quiet who find comfort at work, their only contact a tea break with a distant colleague or a chat whilst working now sit at home in silence. The depressed & suicidal now stuck in away from friends and family that would otherwise lift them and support them each passing day spiral further into darkness.

All of them a reflection of the broken society of Modern Man that we live, a social marker to indicate that we are a long way from idyllic, a long way from balanced and have a long road to go, if the road continues at all?