On Becoming a Hermit, Sort of ... Day 26-27

Days 26-27
(Saturday, 11th and Sunday 12th April 2020)

Global statistics on COVID-19 as at 10:30 this morning (according to Saturday’s Guardian) are Confirmed cases now at 1.699 million. Recovered: 341,836. Deaths: 102,799.

Health Secretary, Matt Hancock reminds us that each one of those has a name and each number has a family whose lives will be changed for ever.

Now, speaking of loved ones, a warning. I’m going to have another rant.!

We’re getting reports from other parts of the city that, regardless of government advice and now even warnings of police fines for flouting the instruction to stay home, there are people going out in their cars and visiting other people. It occurs to me that these are people, who can only be amongst those, who sit, perhaps uncomfortably, somewhere between, on the one hand, not being able to cope with their fear and, on the other, a kind of misguided optimism that persuades them they are neither carrying infection nor are they going to catch it. They might even be well educated and knowledgable people, who think they know better. 

The following three paragraphs contain a lot of pointed second person singular. If you are, therefore, someone who is carefully following the advice on social distancing and self isolation, then this is not for you. I concede that it is also probably the case that those, who are refusing to follow that advice, will not be likely to read this. So, this is perhaps for posterity, but at least makes me feel better. Here goes ...

WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU..!!  DO YOU NOT GET IT..?!! IF YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND IT, THEN PERHAPS YOU SHOULD THINK MORE CAREFULLY ABOUT TRUSTING AND FOLLOWING THE ADVICE OF THOSE WHO DO UNDERSTAND IT.

Perhaps it is because you don’t understand that, RIGHT NOW, in this present moment, this moment, your future is nothing, if not uncertain; a future which is measured by probabilities and, ergo, RISK, you actually DO NOT KNOW whether or not you are infected or whether or not you might come into contact with someone, a door handle, a perfectly innocent object that may hold the Corona virus on its surface, and therefore present a risk, not only to yourself becoming infected, but also to the outside world; of changing the future for someone other than yourself, some poor innocent life or the life of a family member or of a friendship group, that will be changed forever or maybe lost forever.

Before I move on to more cheerful things, perhaps this is a good time to refer you back to my blog on Day 3. It contains a chart of how many people a careless flouting of self isolation advice can affect in a short time. It is frighteningly stark. 

And, having sounded off like a bible thumping 17th Century preacher from his pulpit, let’s move on.

Today is Sunday. Easter Day. A day when churches and cathedrals would normally be filled with people being communal, being grateful for the sacrifice of others and being thankful for what we have. Given the courageous work of those who are fighting in the new front line, the latter day trenches - that is the NHS and caring services, not forgetting transport drivers, deliverers of food and sustenance for the nation and so many more, who are out there whilst we sit in our isolation - we do are a great deal to be grateful for. I feel this sincerely now. Speaking of gratitude, here’s a new poem. 

Saturday's choice of music from Clemency Burton-Hill's "Year of Wonder" is Tres piezas, Op.6 1: 'Cuyana' by Alberto Ginastera. Of Ginastera, Clemency says "No matter how many times I hear ... (this composition) ... I never know what's coming next - in the best possible way. I love how the composer takes us on a meandering melodic journey and just at the moment when you feel you know exactly where you are, he picks you up and deposits you somewhere else, somewhere completely unexpected." I love this, but add the a caveat that sometimes it is nice to be able to anticipate where a piece of music is going; a sort of comfort thin, I suppose.

For today: Clemency chooses something more melancholy, not that there is anything wrong with melancholy. Richard Strauss completed this dramatic, emotionally charged piece of music in 1945, towards the end of the Second World War On the contrary, I believe the value of having ones mood altered in this direction has the value of enabling reflection; of helping one to be less impatient, less anxious about what we’re having to go without at the moment, what we’ve been through and how we might resolve to make things different in the future. Metamorphosen for Twenty Three Strings by Richard Strauss. It is much longer (twenty five minutes or more) Than the normal length of pieces in the “Year of Wonder” In her final note she writes: “It is a singularly moving musical response to the senselessness of war - any war.”

And in the time it has taken me to complete this blog since starting yesterday morning, another one hundred thousand people around the world have become confirmed cases of infection ... and another 5,000 have died. Each one has a name. Each one a loss to their family and friends.

• Stay at Home.
• Protect the NHS.
• Save Lives.

However you may be affected by anything I've written about, do leave me a comment below or, if you prefer not to, talk to a loved one, a friend or someone you trust.