I somehow missed this viral poem when it was published in the midst of the pandemic last spring. But it recently came across my dash, and somehow I feel like it’s even more relevant now. It feels like we’re finally coming out of the pandemic, although who really knows? But there’s definitely a hope in the air that I haven’t felt in over a year. Or at the very least, a stirring of hope. Which is why I think this poem by Kitty O’Meara resonated with me so much.
If we are in the endgame and the worst of the pandemic is truly behind us, I’d like to think that this whole experience has changed us. And hopefully for the better. I’d like to believe that we will now think differently. That we will not take our loved ones or the ability to socialize for granted. That we will value art and culture more, given how integral it has been to so many people’s coping mechanisms during this time. And I especially hope that we now know that the ways we have been treating both this earth and each other have to change.
But above all else, I hope that we can now begin to heal. The past 17 months have been extraordinarily difficult for so many people in so many ways. And I’m not naive enough to think that everyone will just bounce back and life will continue as normal. It will likely take decades for the full ramifications of this pandemic to be fully known. And likely even longer for us to recover from them, if at all. But right now, I have hope. Hope that the recovery process can finally begin. Hope that we will emerge from all of this changed and changed for the better. And I hope that one day we will heal.
Suggestions for artists I should check out? Please contact me with your ideas. I hope you enjoyed your daily helping of art!
