Quarantine Contemplations and Conjectures
Covid recovery and 2 weeks of isolation
Isolation, Illness, and Recovery
I made it over 2.5 years covid free. I’m still surprised I contracted it. I’m practically a hermit. I don’t touch doorknobs. I slather on hand sanitizer. I use the lonely aisles in the grocery. I haven’t been in a risky environment. Nevertheless, it found me.
It started on a Saturday night with a slight tickle in the throat. I figured it was allergies since I mowed recently. Sunday evening, a mid-grade fever developed. I took a Covid test, which was negative. I occasionally get a fever from a bout of diverticulitis, which I assumed was the case. Still, I started isolating to protect others, just in case. Then on Tuesday, a sore throat and headache appeared, so I took another test. Positive.
The fever lasted 3–4 days and never exceeded 102. The sore throat lasted another couple of days. From then on, the only symptoms were cough and congestion. No lung or taste and smell issues.
I isolated 10 days per the guidelines, however, I still tested positive. The recommendations are unclear in this situation, so due to the uncertainty, I stayed in quarantine until I tested negative, which was a total of 14 days from the onset of symptoms.
I don’t want to discuss pandemic management opinion. But, they say 95% of the U.S. population has acquired some immunity through either vaccination, previous infection, or both. I was in the other 5%. My illness wasn’t severe.
Contemplation and Consideration
Although Covid isolation is no fun, the break from normal activities can provide a time to read, reflect, and learn. After the 4–5 days of initial symptoms, during which I mostly rested, I still had another week and a half of quarantine. I took advantage of this time to research and think.
I explored nature, spirituality, humanity, and the connections and conflicts within these. This is a new purpose to my writing: dig into these areas, take a hard look at the problems, and contemplate solutions. Although mine is a small voice, I feel it is important to do anything I can.
And he climbed with the lad up the Eiffelberg tower “This,” cried the Mayor, “is your town’s darkest hour! The time for all Whos who have blood that is red To come to the aid of their country!” he said. “We’ve GOT to make noises in greater amounts! So, open your mouth, lad! For every voice counts!” ― Dr. Seuss, Horton Hears a Who!
I bounce erratically from despair, to love, to grief, to hope, to gloom to gratitude.
- I love nature, yet our natural world — our planet — is being destroyed. By us.
- I am spiritual, yet organized religion is the source of much conflict.
- I love people, yet I sometimes succumb to misanthropy. Humans have a dual nature. There 2 sides. Good and bad, ethical and evil, beautiful and ugly.
Nature
There is a sacredness to nature. It is imbued with spirit — natural and life forces. But we don’t treat it that way. We take it for granted. We exploit it for profit, uncaring of the future. This approach will not only destroy the Earth but likely result in the extinction of humanity. We are in trouble and need to change.
“You say we’re on the brink of destruction and you’re right. But it’s only on the brink that people find the will to change. Only at the precipice do we evolve. This is our moment.” Professor Barnhart in The Day the Earth Stood Still
Nature is a miracle. Existence itself is a miracle, beyond human understanding or scientific knowledge. Life is a miracle — this animate force present in all living organisms. We humans are a miracle — our consciousness, creative abilities, scientific abilities, abstract thinking, and imagination. We are capable of great and wondrous feats. And we are capable of evil and utter destruction.
“I’m afraid they are not a reasonable race… They are destructive, and they won’t change… But still, there is another side. You see, I… I love them. It is a very strange thing … I can’t find a way to explain it to you. For many years I cursed my luck for being sent here. Human life is difficult. But as this life is coming to an end… I consider myself lucky… to have lived it.” Mr Wu in The Day the Earth Stood Still
During quarantine, I read and watched several compelling pieces. I watched the 2008 version of The Day the Earth Stood Still with Keanu Reeves. Although it doesn’t have great reviews, it was very impactful for me. I have frequently thought on these topics and this movie prompted me to go deeper.
I watched David Attenborough’s A Life on Our Planet. In this 2020 documentary, which he calls his witness statement, he documents the change in the planet through his decades as a naturalist. He was 93 at the time of filming and still fighting the good fight.
The Blue Sapphire of the Mind: Notes for a Contemplative Ecology, by Douglas E Christie is a book I started some time ago — it’s a long one — and came back to during quarantine. He expresses grief over the loss of the natural world, from a Contemplative Christian viewpoint.
I’ve started Karen Armstrong’s Sacred Nature: Restoring Our Ancient Bond with the Natural World. Again looking at the destruction of the planet through a spiritual lens, but from a historical viewpoint of multiple world religions.
Writing focus
I feel compelled to continue researching and writing on these ideas. To be an advocate for Earth. To explore the beauty of the planet. To grieve what is lost. To seek out how to engage the better side of human nature. We need to evolve as a species if we are to save our planet and save ourselves.
Here are some great stories I ran across on these topics.
By Chris Riedy
© 2022 VonMars About | Medium membership | Twitter This article may contain affiliate links.
