UNSHELTERED BY BARBARA KINGSOLVER
18 April 2020 • books
"Unsheltered, I live in daylight. And like the wandering bird I rest in thee."
It's an incredibly absorbing novel, I found myself instantly enamoured with Willa, sympathetic to her situation and captured by her family members: irascible father in law Nick, calm and loving Iano, conflicted Zeke, and free-spirited and innovative Tig. As Unsheltered progresses, we gain captivating insights into the pivotal moments of their lives through Willa's perspective, stepping into the relationship between mother and child, the tender moments of a new child's life, the harder ones of Nick's failing health. We learn of loves lost, new loves, and of Willa's struggle to align her past and present life to the one she had imagined for herself and her family, getting lost in the gaps between the two states.
In contrast, we see in Tig someone who is devoutly certain that we need to make strident changes in our lives and how we treat the planet. She is more industrious than she seems to her family with an initially a distant relationship that develops as the novel progresses. She's the polar opposite of her financially career-minded brother with whom she often clashes. As the family cares for Zeke's newborn baby Aldus we see the ways that each member adjust to a new addition to the family and how Aldus, or Dusty as he is affectionately termed, comes to transform and affect each one.
Peppered between these moments, we learn more about Thatcher Greenwood and Mary Treat and the lives they lead in the 1800s facing challenges as scientists in the face of those stubbornly set in their ways. Kingsolver takes us through the lessons Thatcher learns from Mary and the absorption Mary has in her work and the bravery she shows in committing herself to what she loves with little regard for those who judge her. Despite the differences in their lives, Kingsolver threads distinct similarities between the two times and, much like Thatcher, Willa learns from those around her the lessons that she desperately needs: how to deal with the crumbling remains that surround her and how to use them to build up her life again. It's a novel about coming to face a life unsheltered from the trappings we had assumed we'd have. "You're going to end up in rubble," says Tig to Willa, "But it's okay because without all that crap overhead, you're standing in the daylight."
Kingsolver's novel isn't a short one, just over 500 pages, but I found myself speeding through it over several days. It isn't a thriller, you aren't waiting with bated breath, but I still felt desperate to learn what would become of Willa and her family, of Thatcher and Mary, and for me, that's the mark of a good book: how invested you are in the characters and their lives. Willa's journey is one that involves learning to adapt the challenges she faces, to face the loss around her and to see it not simply as loss or destruction but as a possibility for change and growth.
ON FEELING: AT SEA
5 April 2020 • wellbeing
There's probably never been a more apt time for another On Feelings post than now. For most people, the entirety of our day to day lives has been altered by the impact of the coronavirus. In many countries, including in England where I'm writing this from, societies are on lockdown to reduce the transmission of the virus and that means a lot more time spent inside. I'm writing this from the incredibly privileged position of being able to safely stay at home without putting myself at risk and I want to take moment to be thankful for my own good health and to thank all the amazing front line and key workers who are putting themselves at risk to keep the rest of us safe and well.
In the UK we've only been on lockdown for just under two weeks but a lot of us are already feeling the impacts of social distancing and isolation. I started last week with a lot of grand plans about the things I could get done in this time, the posts I could write, ideas I could finally tease into substance, but sitting down and writing this post is the first properly 'creative' thing I've done in nearly a fortnight and I'm not alone. There are countless articles discussing this shared feeling of confusion, demotivation, and lack of focus.
For one thing, a lot of our usual boundaries of normality have been stripped. Many people are no longer working and for those that are, working from home can feel like an odd limbo state, severed from your usual workspace and coworkers. We're also probably consuming a lot more media than we're used to. With the hours rolling out, it's easy to get sucked into the social media vortex, scrolling through post after post or reading countless news updates and articles. With routines changing as well, each new day feels a stilted, awkward thing without the guiding markers of our everyday patterns. Many of us are concerned about family and friends and given the unprecedented nature of this period it's no wonder we're all feeling a little at sea. It's often not until these habitual markers are taken from us that we realise how much we rely upon them and without them, it's easy to feel stranded without a paddle.
With all that in mind, perhaps the first thing to do is remember that it's completely natural to feel uprooted by this loss of normality. There's a reason why there are so many discussions going on about how people are coping with this emotionally; it's challenging to be faced with so much change and anxiety. None of us is alone in feeling this way and a quick google search will confirm that, so reaching out to family and friends to share the burden of uncertainty can offer some mutual reassurance and understanding.
While all of this has altered our usual routines, something we can do is ground ourselves in the little things that do remain normal in our day. They might only be small things like having coffee in the morning, keeping to your usual evening skincare routine, or going for a run twice a week but they offer us some soothing, regular behaviours amongst the change. Making sure to change out of pyjamas in the morning, even if it's just into yet another pair of joggers, creates that same habit of getting ready for the day that we're used to.
Taking up new routines can also offer some reassurance. I've been trying to get up and do yoga every morning because it stops me from wasting the entire morning in bed but also because it gives me something regular to look forward to and work on. Other routines might be making sure to have breakfast by a certain time every day, going out every afternoon for a walk (remembering to keep your social distance), or plotting in fun activities to look forward to. Having these moments to order our days around is what a lot of us are looking for and given that so much of what is going on is out of our hands putting some kind of altered routine into place can give us back some control and avoid the dreaded slump.
If you're still feeling unmoored then try doing something that can provide a sense of purpose. If you're fit and well you could offer support to neighbours who might need it. You could make a blood doning appointment to support hospitals across the UK, which is still classed as a medical need and completely safe. You can also donate to charities supporting those most affected, like food banks or the National Emergencies Trust. And remember that although it might not always feel it by staying inside and following social distancing guidelines you're already helping.
More than anything it's important not to put too much pressure on ourselves. Sure, this could be a great time to crack on with that project you've been ruminating on but don't expect yourself to be at peak creativity during a time of unprecedented uncertainty. Do what you can to help but remember not to expose yourself to too much of the news and media because it will only overwhelm you in the end. Recognise the moments when what you're doing isn't helping and take a step back to re-ground in those actions of familiarity and comfort. It's okay to feel at sea, just remember to take it one day, one stroke forward at a time.
In the UK we've only been on lockdown for just under two weeks but a lot of us are already feeling the impacts of social distancing and isolation. I started last week with a lot of grand plans about the things I could get done in this time, the posts I could write, ideas I could finally tease into substance, but sitting down and writing this post is the first properly 'creative' thing I've done in nearly a fortnight and I'm not alone. There are countless articles discussing this shared feeling of confusion, demotivation, and lack of focus.
For one thing, a lot of our usual boundaries of normality have been stripped. Many people are no longer working and for those that are, working from home can feel like an odd limbo state, severed from your usual workspace and coworkers. We're also probably consuming a lot more media than we're used to. With the hours rolling out, it's easy to get sucked into the social media vortex, scrolling through post after post or reading countless news updates and articles. With routines changing as well, each new day feels a stilted, awkward thing without the guiding markers of our everyday patterns. Many of us are concerned about family and friends and given the unprecedented nature of this period it's no wonder we're all feeling a little at sea. It's often not until these habitual markers are taken from us that we realise how much we rely upon them and without them, it's easy to feel stranded without a paddle.
With all that in mind, perhaps the first thing to do is remember that it's completely natural to feel uprooted by this loss of normality. There's a reason why there are so many discussions going on about how people are coping with this emotionally; it's challenging to be faced with so much change and anxiety. None of us is alone in feeling this way and a quick google search will confirm that, so reaching out to family and friends to share the burden of uncertainty can offer some mutual reassurance and understanding.
While all of this has altered our usual routines, something we can do is ground ourselves in the little things that do remain normal in our day. They might only be small things like having coffee in the morning, keeping to your usual evening skincare routine, or going for a run twice a week but they offer us some soothing, regular behaviours amongst the change. Making sure to change out of pyjamas in the morning, even if it's just into yet another pair of joggers, creates that same habit of getting ready for the day that we're used to.
Taking up new routines can also offer some reassurance. I've been trying to get up and do yoga every morning because it stops me from wasting the entire morning in bed but also because it gives me something regular to look forward to and work on. Other routines might be making sure to have breakfast by a certain time every day, going out every afternoon for a walk (remembering to keep your social distance), or plotting in fun activities to look forward to. Having these moments to order our days around is what a lot of us are looking for and given that so much of what is going on is out of our hands putting some kind of altered routine into place can give us back some control and avoid the dreaded slump.
If you're still feeling unmoored then try doing something that can provide a sense of purpose. If you're fit and well you could offer support to neighbours who might need it. You could make a blood doning appointment to support hospitals across the UK, which is still classed as a medical need and completely safe. You can also donate to charities supporting those most affected, like food banks or the National Emergencies Trust. And remember that although it might not always feel it by staying inside and following social distancing guidelines you're already helping.
More than anything it's important not to put too much pressure on ourselves. Sure, this could be a great time to crack on with that project you've been ruminating on but don't expect yourself to be at peak creativity during a time of unprecedented uncertainty. Do what you can to help but remember not to expose yourself to too much of the news and media because it will only overwhelm you in the end. Recognise the moments when what you're doing isn't helping and take a step back to re-ground in those actions of familiarity and comfort. It's okay to feel at sea, just remember to take it one day, one stroke forward at a time.
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