Rediscovering Beauty in a Stormy Period
“And in it a horse meadow has come into bloom
with spring flowers and breezes
like honey are blowing”
Carson, Anne. If Not, Winter, Fragments of Sappho, Vintage Books, A Division of Random House, inc., New York, Page 7
I took this photo in early June, a few months into the pandemic. I was confused, disappointed, upset, and in a dark place emotionally, as I imagine many others were as well. I understood the necessity of socially distancing and refraining from/modifying many aspects of life in order to stop the spread of the virus, however, the rapid changes disrupted my life in such an unexpected way, and led to me experiencing a myriad of emotions each day. From March-May, while the semester was still going on, I tried to talk a walk once a week to get fresh air. I visited my friend’s farm once a week (pictured below). These visits are what helped me cope with the changes and improve my mental state. During these visits, I spent time outdoors with goats, assisting with farm work, and basking in the beauty of the farm. No matter how anxiety-inducing the news (regarding the pandemic, political and economic situation) was, nothing could take away from the bliss of the farm. Looking at this photo, I feel calm and grateful. During my visits here, I would think about all the things I have to be grateful for, and focus and maintaining faith that things will improve, and the pandemic is just temporary. To me, the farm embodies the beauty of life. No matter how difficult the times were, I still had much to be grateful for, and being on the farm helped me realize this. I imagine many individuals found something during the pandemic that could calm them and help them appreciate all the good that remains in life. For me, it was this farm. Despite all the despair the pandemic brought, many individual’s creativity blossomed during this period of time. People had more time to think without being bogged down with responsibilities they would usually have, some had time to discover new hobbies, some found new ways to reconnect with God and nature (I did). Lastly, I believe the pandemic is bringing many much-needed changes to society. To me, this photo embodies a rediscovery of peace, beauty, gratitude, and eventual happiness during a deeply confusing time for much of the world.
