Week 28 - We check in with Ellie during a testing time

 Edited BY

G P Kennedy

Ellie - Milan, Italy

This is an excruciating moment. Politically in the world, personally and health-wise for me, just as for so many others. I won't be sharing more details here but would like to say to those who are reading this and are in pain. I understand your pain. I share it and respect it. And please know that even in the darkest moment, there is hope, in the little things. Steps that can be taken so the weight is lifted a little bit. If we have the power and privilege of voting, we should exercise it for those who can't. If we can bring a cup of tea to someone who is cold, or alone, let's do it.

 

Time has flown by since early spring when we were all startled by the sudden wave of the pandemic. It seemed that we were facing a catastrophe of immense proportions all by ourselves. Other countries had fewer cases, but we were so hard hit that we couldn't rely on others' experience. We were not sure if we were doing it right and were devastated that the sacrifices, meaning the lockdown, seemingly had no effect, for so long. We tuned in to the daily news and we stuck together.

But now that the panic is over and the country is seemingly one of the best-placed in Europe in terms of infections, some have taken to conspiracy theories originating elsewhere. Deniers have started denying even the most difficult experience of Northern Italy in the early spring. All the effort, figuring things out seemingly in the dark, is almost as forgotten as the fading of these street signs from early spring. 

 

And time goes by. Fall is almost here, weather-wise, and the carelessness and enthusiasm of summer are over. Everything that could be happening outdoors now has to happen indoors mostly. There is talk of a strengthening of rules of engagement and distancing, numbers of infections are going up, but another lockdown is almost unthinkable. I for one am happy with focusing my attention on my immediate surroundings and deep look at the seemingly unassuming. 

These mushrooms are home production. Well, almost; you can't really produce mushrooms on purpose except for a couple of species, but these sprouted in our yard spontaneously. I take them as a sign, but not sure of what. That nature will go on no matter what? That we should be paying attention to hidden forces that are there, but we just have to harness them? That the world is beautiful?

 

In the meantime, the saddest thing is not the use of facemasks, as some have suggested, nor that things we had taken for granted are now rare, like the possibility to get together to support each other. Now it seems that even when we are allowed to gather, many of us are wary of taking advantage of this possibility. See how attendees of mass in this church are actually participating in mass outdoors.

They are following the service outdoors, listening to it on the loudspeakers. It makes me sad - not for the rule, but the necessity of it. However, when I took this picture it also reminded me that a change always has a silver lining. What if people start connecting outside of not just buildings, but institutions, developing informal ties more, acknowledging each other through means they didn't see before? I am hoping this is happening in ways small and big.