In some ways it seems we have found ourselves in the belly of a whale. Those of us who are sheltering at home may be resorting to our own ingenuity to stave off boredom.

Perhaps ingenuity is too much to ask of ourselves during a pandemic. But what if it isn’t? Children can take two sticks and a rock and create entire worlds to explore. Children are very resilient. If we watch them play, we can learn a lot about who we used to be and maybe who we can become again.

This piece of writing by Dan Albergotti is, in my view, ingenious. I don’t use that word often, so I looked it up. The definition of ‘ingenious’ is the quality of being clever, original, and inventive. (Isn’t that a great word?) See what you think.

What To Do in the Belly of the Whale

Measure the walls. Count the ribs. Notch the long days.
Look up for blue sky through the spout. Make small fires
with the broken hulls of fishing boats. Practice smoke signals.
Call old friends, and listen for echoes of distant voices.
Organize your calendar. Dream of the beach. Look each way
for the dim glow of light. Work on your reports. Review
each of your life’s ten million choices. Endure moments
of self-loathing. Find the evidence of those before you.
Destroy it. Try to be very quiet, and listen for the sound
of gears and moving water. Listen for the sound of your heart.
Be thankful that you are here, swallowed with all hope,
where you can rest and wait. Be nostalgic. Think of all
the things you did and could have done. Remember
treading water in the center of the still night sea, your toes
pointing again and again down, down into the black depths.
—Dan Albergotti

What are you doing while we are in the belly of a whale, waiting for virus curves to flatten? Listening for the sound of your heart? Being thankful that you are here? Being nostalgic? Calling old friends?

All thoughts welcome.

Love,
Susan

Note: If you get these posts via email, and would prefer one weekly email instead of daily, simply click the “preferences” button at the bottom of the email, then click “all available” and a drop-down will appear with the two options. Uncheck the top list and check the weekly option, then click the “update subscriptions” button. Thanks!

Note to newcomers: I love my reader community, so I am posting something uplifting on this blog and also on my facebook page every day at 4 pm (Eastern) until we get through the Covid-19 crisis.

Read yesterday’s post here.