What I have learnt in lock-down.

Lockdown Diaries

For the month of June we ran a competition on Instagram to win a Platinum President Fountain Pen, Endless Recorder Notebook and Diamine Ink. One of the things you needed to do to enter was tell us what you had learnt in lockdown. Needless to say, we received many interesting and brilliant answers. No, there certainly is no “best” answer to this question but we thought we would share one with you all that we particularly enjoyed. Thank you Paul for sharing.

Time spent incarcerated or so we thought. I pondered what this really means and to what end. Being a crafter of bread, sewing, gardening, writing and more, well more scribbles and personal introspections I thought this time in lock-up or lock-down, depends on my perspective. What did it mean to me and how will I bide my time?

I made the effort to tackle my endless to-do list which I am proud to say is almost completed. I cleaned and serviced all my fountain pens because they deserve more care that we care to know. I finished half written poems, I even wrote decent letters to friends who love the written word and joy of joys I got replies, takes a while but the post eventually arrives. I slowed down and wrote a little neater. Sorted book piles and donated so much that would never have left the front door if lock-up had not put on a handbrake to observe the space we inhabit, slow down, think, react and do. So we did more with less, found out how less is actually more than enough.

In-between my baking real 3-day sourdough bread for more needy folk seeking real artisan food, I did much sewing, improved my needle accuracy because everything gets better with practice, made over 900 simple masks, donated many to those in need. And when the day slowed to a close, found old forgotten recipe books and rekindled old flavours and recipes, we tend to write in pencil the dates, friends who shared this and comments on recipes tried, so opening these many recipe books and reading our comments and remembering who came to supper or dinner and the complexity then and the ease now in remaking because we know a little more, we just know a little more.

What I learnt is: I learnt a little more when I slowed the speed within the minutes, focussed on one task at a time, was mindful and careful. I learn to love all the tasks of the day, hanging fresh laundry in the winter sun, peeling winter citrus and focussing to smell the rind and the marmalade on the boil to just the right jellying point.

I learnt: My home is my world, and the world resides within this space we have created, I am content here, when the world out there is manic and gauche at times, we have crafted a happy space of love and many joys, a sanctuary of joy.

What I learnt is: the things really missed were the warm hearts missing at out little table, the chatter and news from friends, about their world, what we missed were these times together, but our hearts are close, words slide easily off modern utilities so somehow with this ether of connection we are connected, but nothing can replace a hug, a smile in the sunshine.

What I learnt: All this is fleeting, things will change, if you look for the good you will find it, and we did, we found it abundantly in everything we do, and be mindful not to forget to jot your memories for tomorrow’s friends to read.

Thank you for the opportunity to reflect.

Love and light and ink on paper

Paul

Photo by Matt Seymour on Unsplash

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *