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The Pandemic Has Made Me Crave Boundless Space of Body, Mind And Spirit
My relationship to space right now is one of longing for what has been denied. After 8 weeks in pandemic-mandated lockdown, I contemplate my life for the next month in the knowledge that it will be limited to a 5km radius.
I grew up in a rural community where space was in plentiful supply. I still remember looking across vast plains to watch the sun set over the horizon. Being surrounded by an abundance of space feels like a birthright: I don’t remember ever having to fight for it.
The way in which a person inhabits the space around them says so much about how they see their place in the world.
As essential as moving to the city was in stepping up to the grown-up realities of study and work, it was always going to be a shaky compromise. If I don’t manage to avoid crowded trains, busy supermarkets and the workday lunch time rush, I can only brace myself and get through with gritted teeth, elevated heart rate and dry mouth.
I’ve always been guarded about my personal space and I suspect I have a more generous buffer zone than the average person. This is…
