I was told in no uncertain terms by my team that it is absolutely abysmal that I haven’t written anything here since May. The thing is, I have the tendency to get bored rather swiftly with any aspect of my artistic career that doesn’t directly involve creation or community engagement.
I’m something of an introvert with outgoing tendencies, and as a result aside from a powerful need to go shopping for vinyls. As a result, the self-isolation aspect of our present dreadfully awful condition isn’t much of a problem for me. I’m blessed enough to have a day job that allows me work from home, I can be an author anywhere, and I find often times books keep better company than people (sorry, not sorry).
That being said, this time of isolation can be difficult for many people the world over, and for many others downright unsafe. Aside from being a kick ass writer of speculative fiction across every genre and composer of dope instrumentals, I’m a minister of the gospel specializing in fringe ministry and on the spot ministry. Isolating makes the latter considerably more difficult, but, technology does make outreach easier.
While many of us foolishly rail against the “injustice” of being asked to wear a mask in public and limit public interaction (sorry, not sorry), I can’t help but marvel at the privilege and startling lack of empathy as a society we have, particularly in the West. Many of us consider being home bored to be the worst thing about the pandemic because it is the only way we are personally impacted. I ask us all to consider those unable to escape truly horrid situations.
While some of us lament not being able to get our favorite frap or hit the gym, there are women, children, and indeed men, who go home to abusive situations. There are many whose only meal comes from school, many who are now locked in a cage with their abusers, and many who emotionally are not able to survive the sudden loss of social interaction.
First responders are overworked and under paid, thousands are without work, and there is no end in sight. Now more than ever I must quote the wise words of Abraham Lincoln, half of them, and say “Be excellent to each other”.
Seriously though, I urge you to take the time to reach out to the people in your lives. Take the time to compliment strangers, ask them how their day is going, try not to get hashtag offended or easily triggered because face it, we’re all having a rough time of it at the moment.
Take time to reconcile and set aside past grievances. Clear the air while you can; death is no respecter of persons and it comes for us all, and in the time of a pandemic that unpredictability with which it can come is exponentially increased.
Call someone you haven’t in a while. Text someone just because. Learn to love one another in spite of differences of opinion whether on the matter of politics, religion or whatever.
Time is always short, but the hourglass has a big ol’ crack called “Covid-19” running down the middle. Better to love in the now than to regret in the morrow.
Speaking of the morrow, I’ll actually talk about books soon; I’ve still been writin’ em’, it’s just that simply put, some things like reminding us all to be good to one another are more important than trying to turn a profit.
I love you, be amazing, you already are.
-Eugene the Author