are exploited. Widespread diseases in nature that reach epidemic proportions disrupt and may take years to recover. Yet nature will respond. There’ s resilience. Nature abhors a vacuum and recovery of some kind inevitable. Uncertainties always exist— predictions can be well off target. Observations are reviewable from a perspective of trend and place.
A pandemic is far different. With this never before assault on modern worldwide humanity, we trust the medical experts and heed their warnings while understanding the assault can continue and strike again. We follow precautions and remain secluded. This appears to be the best method to lessen the spread of the attack.
As I follow the mayhem, try to make sense of what we learn, and follow stay-at-home protocols, my faith is science. Understanding how things work keeps me together.
I am self-quarantining, playing music, reading, hiking our property, and finding enjoyment in house projects. Recently several junk drawers and shelves
in the house have never been better organized. And perusal of nature journals, stories, and discoveries continues to be a healing source of joy. While I am sequestered I am not sentenced to solitary confinement. I still have my freedoms and rights, and fortunately, my health, in my place of refuge— my home where I’ m supposed to be.
I can do this. I am a rock! •
GUSTINS continued from 27 we thought we were, better than other people thought we were. Now is the time that we need to help each other. In a way, that is creating, too. Creating friendships, community, family.
It reminds us of the saying which stems from the first century philosopher Hillel the Elder, but has lately been attributed to everyone from Malcolm X to Mikael Gorbachev to Emma Watson:
“ If not me, who? If not now, when?”•
Kara Barnard
May / June 2020 • Our Brown County 51