A Timely Reminder

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._N._Taber

As the Covid-19 coronavirus continues to take its toll on the mental well-being of many if not most of us, worldwide ...regardless of ethnicity, religion, sexuality or place in society; there is nothing like a common danger to dispense with the separatism these so often impose on the less free-thinking among us.

Now, some people are having to deal with the loss of loved-ones as well as losing their jobs and having to worry about diminishing savings, how to pay the rent or mortgage besides feed themselves and their families … also cope with the relative few, albeit significant and selfish, who persist in defying instructions to self-isolate and/or wear a face mask.

While certain people are exempt from wearing masks for health reasons, it is rare to see anyone challenged here in the UK, in shops or on public transport, wherever … Only the other day, I overheard a conversation on a train between two people, one wearing a mask, one not; the latter was saying he hated wearing a mask (who doesn’t) so “Why should I, and who’s going to make me, anyway?”

Is it surprising that the coronavirus is far from finished with any of us yet? The sheer selfishness of some people will literally be the death of others. 

So far, so good here, not least because I am almost sure I had the virus in early January … but, am in my 70’s now, and living alone so counting no chickens.

We can but take care, stay positive, and perhaps take our cue from the first light of dawn and let our hearts be filled with the first birdsong, if only to replace any fears and/or frustrations and/or despair left by events of previous days and months.

Did I say it would be easy?

A TIMELY REMINDER

Uneasy sleep, bad dreams,

a sense of isolation getting the better

of any kinder reality

likely to call on the darker side life

to take on its bad and ugly;

unchallenged fears come to haunt

mind-body-spirit,

set the Ghosts of Nightmare on human hearts,

 no prisoners

An uneasy calm, persisting

in its endeavour to reassert itself

over waves of despair

threatening to crush positive thoughts,

abandon mind-body-spirit

to its own devices, pitting its host

against its worst imaginings,

challenging Earth Mother to a bitter showdown,

daggers drawn

Come the first hint of dawn,

shadows on curtains war-dancing,

heaping scorn on any hint

of positive thinking rallying human hearts

to wake and take them on;

eyes opening and heart sinking

at the first rush of shadows

bent on making a kill, though life-force songbirds

have other ideas

Dawn chorus, come to re-engage mind-body-spirit

with such things in life as worth every heartbeat

Copyright R. N. Taber 2020