Like you, I’m in detention. The virus has gone viral and we’re all dodging it. For some it must be difficult, especially those who need social interaction to maintain some sort of internal balance; and those whose incomes have been hard hit; and those who have responsibility for others and can’t easily manage that at home.
How do you feel about this? Is it odd to say that I don’t really mind it?
It’s probably because I’m not in those categories: having always lived alone, at times in remote parts of the world; having a rich and busy internal life, always swinging backwards and forwards inside my head; being retired; and having no immediate family: these seem to have made me emotionally self-reliant, often alone but never lonely, and very comfortable with my own company for long periods of time. Perhaps that’s strange to you, but it’s natural for me.
And there’s a curious personal advantage: it’s getting quite difficult for me to speak; the voice and mouth muscles are becoming paralysed; and it takes more and more effort to say anything. This semi-house arrest that we’re all under has reduced visitors to virtually zero, and that’s actually giving me a rest. A strange silver lining, but there it is.
