March 22, 2020

February 365 Photo Challenge | Pittsburgh Area Photographer

Shannon's Personal Photography

My goodness. What a frightening mess this world is in right now.

Everyone in the world is suddenly income insecure, afraid for our lives and the lives of our loved ones, and isolated to boot. It's everything we can do to maintain some semblance of normalcy and routine. I've always considered this scenario. Not this specific scenario, with a novel corona virus, but the possibility that some force could turn all of our lives upside down over night. I've thought often, that all of the things we take as given could be much more delicate than we realize. I'm not sure why I think about things like this. Maybe its a symptom of my anxiety. But I feel sheepish for some reason to say, I've pictured this world. Not wished it, of course. But imagined it.

And what can we do, but carry on the best we can. Stay inside, or six feet apart. Work remotely, home school our kids. Wash our hands. I don't know how this will turn out. I don't know when or if we'll go back to our "normal" lives. All I do know is that we desperately need ways to connect, and ways to feel helpful and useful and productive, and ways to distract ourselves from ruminating on the things we can't control.

Which, strangely, is what we've always needed.

And, strangely, the way in which my art has always served me.

Please be safe. Stay home. And wash your f*cking hands.