Turbulent Times and Unprecedented Unease
Or why I'm binge-watching demon slaying.
This has not been a good few weeks for my mental health.
Come to think of it, it’s not really been a good decade for anyone’s mental health, mine included.
Remember when the pandemic first started and all we kept hearing was how these were “unprecedented times”? Pretty soon, everything on the news was unprecedented. And to be fair, the pandemic was not the start. For several years before that, my husband was ruing the ancient Chinese curse, “May you live in interesting times”.
Personally, I’d like times to be a little less interesting for a while. And much less cruel. Growing up in Kent, I learned the story of Thomas-a-Becket from a young age. To paraphrase Henry II, will no one rid me of these turbulent times?
I suspect like many others, I am being careful about my online time, especially when it comes to social media. I don’t need to see the trolls and their delight in the misery of others.
But these last few weeks have been tough.
There are lots of articles about positivity online. And they help some. I read poems posted by friends. I watch videos of Gurdeep dancing in the Yukon. I write about past travels and dream about those to come.
But there are times when the positivity doesn’t work. Yes, the flowers are pretty but they won’t make everything magically better. Walking is great but not the solution to severe depression. Healthy eating and cooking is tasty, but it’s not a cure all.
And so some days it’s ok to switch off the posts of people telling you that praying and being glad you woke up is all it takes. It’s ok to drink rose and binge watch Supernatural when you find yourself sitting in front of a computer screen unable to write a word. It’s ok to let the tears flow or the rage fly when you just can’t muster the creativity to paint.
Bottom line: it’s ok to feel what you feel, and do what you need to do to get through these (wince) unprecedented times.
Good things from the past week:
The UK has announced plans for a new national forest. I’ve written about it here.
I was recently interviewed for Bold Journey magazine on topics from resilience to creativity.
The edits for Secret Lexington are done and I am awaiting the proofs.
Beans. You may have read about Rancho Gordo beans. I’ve been a member of their bean club since last year and I receive a shipment every three months. I’m enjoying supporting Mexican farmers while discovering new types of beans that are perfect for salads, soups, stews, and more. Last night’s dinner was a particularly good spicy bean salad.
Dinner with friends at Zundo. Good company and time for my katsu tempura fix.
