We're all processing a lot right now. In times of grief and trauma I've always found support through art. In this time of COVID-19 it's no different, and I'm sharing a bit of what I've created as a result.
Most recently I wrote "Alone Together: Union in the Great Pause," which you can find in full published at Elephant Journal (a sample portion is included here). A week after the poem I was inspired to create it's accompanying image.
When all of the coronavirus concerns began, my husband would share daily news and I would respond with, "Well, we're here and breathing now, so in this moment we're OK." Soon after, a song I'd heard dozens of times before hit me as though it was newly drawn from those moments. This was "Keep Breathing" by Ingrid Michaelson. If you haven't heard it before or need a reminder, here it is.
For me this song has felt like an anthem of sorts as I've been maneuvering the days moment-by-moment. When I heard it again yesterday, this image immediately came to mind.
The face in the illustration is based on the cover image for Ingrid Michaelson's album "Be OK," which features her song "Keep Breathing." The length of braid is the rope we throw to one another to hang on to amid this tangled mess, distant, yet still connected. In the mask I've included several constellations, and this is one detail of our current contemplation that I mention in the poem. Humorously (to me) I've included three constellations (can you find them?), because these are the only three I've ever been able to find on my own in the night sky. While wildly distant, they feel familiar and grounding in the chaos. I hope you're able to find some peace through this uncertainty. Be gentle with yourself, we're going through a lot right now. Take care.
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