Journals from Quarantine

3/27/20

Day 11:

   I have an interesting quote today from the author C. S. Lewis, who notably wrote The Chronicles of Narnia.  Lewis lived during WWII and the atomic age, and had this to say about an atomic bomb:

    "This is the first point to be made: and the first action to be taken is to pull ourselves together. If we are all going to be destroyed by an atomic bomb, let that bomb when it comes find us doing sensible and human things—praying, working, teaching, reading, listening to music, bathing the children, playing tennis, chatting to our friends over a pint and a game of darts—not huddled together like frightened sheep and thinking about bombs. They may break our bodies (a microbe can do that) but they need not dominate our minds."
   
    Of course, coronavirus is very different from the atomic bomb in that we can prevent the number of lives it takes by self-isolating and social distancing, but it is similar in that it is a global threat to millions of lives.  Don't take this quote and think C. S. Lewis is telling you to disobey the self-quarantine.  After all, Lewis obeyed rationing and other guidelines set by the British government during WWII and under atomic threat with little complaint.  Instead, I'm taking it as inspiration to try to continue with my normal life as much as possible while confined to my house.  Trying not to freak out over the first global pandemic in a century.

    The world is going a little crazy right now, but make sure to keep a little place of sanity to yourself to do things you enjoy.  For me it's my bed, where I read and learn new things.  Sensible and human things, Lewis would say.   Humanness is what's going to help us bear this quarantine.