A whole new life

Our daily lives have changed pretty dramatically in just the last few days - as have the lives of many, if not most, Americans, and much of the population of the world! Who says change is impossible! Most of the events that give shape and rhythm to our lives have been cancelled. Rehearsals and concerts - all cancelled. Church services at Guilford have become "virtual - a small group conducts a service which is filmed and posted online. Dummerston services - and thus choir - cancelled. In many ways this is a wonderful life! Lots of free time at home for reading and doing projects at home. A sad little sideline though: we have lost TV. VTPBS - Vermont Public Television - changed their transmission last week and we no longer get their signal through our roof antenna. We can get the PBS Newshour on the phone on YouTube. Oddly, when I rescanned to find NHPTV, a new channel showed up I had never seen before whieh is all old movies - it comes in badly but we watched Rebel Without a Cause  (1955) yesterday which neither of us had ever seen before - James Dean and Natalie Woods -  very young looking.

This feels like a time when Americans can take stock of how they live their lives. What is really important.  Kathy Leo sent us this poem:

 LOCKDOWN

Yes there is fear.
Yes there is isolation.
Yes there is panic buying.
Yes there is sickness.
Yes there is even death.
But,
They say that in Wuhan after so many years of noise
You can hear the birds again.
They say that after just a few weeks of quiet
The sky is no longer thick with fumes
But blue and grey and clear.
They say that in the streets of Assisi
People are singing to each other
across the empty squares,
keeping their windows open
so that those who are alone
may hear the sounds of family around them.
They say that a hotel in the West of Ireland
Is offering free meals and delivery to the housebound.
Today a young woman I know
is busy spreading fliers with her number
through the neighborhood
So that the elders may have someone to call on.
Today Churches, Synagogues, Mosques and Temples
are preparing to welcome
and shelter the homeless, the sick, the weary
All over the world people are slowing down and reflecting
All over the world people are looking at their neighbors in a new way
All over the world people are waking up to a new reality
To how big we really are.
To how little control we really have.
To what really matters.
To Love.
So we pray and we remember that
Yes there is fear.
But there does not have to be hate.
Yes there is isolation.
But there does not have to be loneliness.
Yes there is panic buying.
But there does not have to be meanness.
Yes there is sickness.
But there does not have to be disease of the soul
Yes there is even death.
But there can always be a rebirth of love.
Wake to the choices you make as to how to live now.
Today, breathe.
Listen, behind the factory noises of your panic
The birds are singing again
The sky is clearing,
Spring is coming,
And we are always encompassed by Love.
Open the windows of your soul
And though you may not be able
to touch across the empty square,
Sing.”
.
We did go out last evening: we went to Katie & Savanna's and watched Bernie and Joe debate. I was disappointed in the tack Bernie took - playing "gotcha" with Joe's past voting record.  The important thing is not the past - it's what do these two intend to do now and how are they going to get it done if elected President? Not much was said about that. But the whole political realm has been thrown into chaos. Who could possibly predict what will happen in November? Will there even be political conventions this year?

One ironic note - the Heels had such a bad season, they were not going to get into the NCAA Tournament - "March Madness." But it was cancelled! So what difference will it make that they had a bad season ? Virtually none!