We are in a time right now that I never would’ve possibly imagined. Everyone is affected, all around the world. This is something that has changed some people’s lives, whether that be people graduating, getting married, or moving and so much more. This has been a time where it makes people step back and think, or I at least hope it does. This is a time that people can find themselves within literature and the arts.
I am one of those people who have turned to literature in this time. The arts and literature have always been a way to bring people all around the world together. There may be a painting from another country that makes its way all around the world. The same goes with a piece of literature, whether that be a poem or a book. Reading brings people together without them even being together, and that is very important in a time like we are in right now.
So many people are stuck at home with ‘nothing’ to do. People should be picking up books, I know some aren’t into reading, there’s always the choice of an audio book.
Life is different: People out in the street are wearing masks, there is yellow tape over the kid’s swing sets in parks, no basketball hoops are open, and we are staying 6 feet apart, and more. Our ‘normal’ has changed and that’s okay. We aren’t going to school every day, often can’t go to church on Sundays or hang out with our friends on the weekends, and so much more.
There are many people that don’t realize what is right in front of them. Right now, is the perfect time to find a great read, get lost in a book and ignore the world around us for a bit. I think people right now are looking for a sense of connection and communication, and getting a book is a great way to fulfill this need.
Literature can be about so much. People write it about their culture, just like a lot of the books we have read this semester. People write about their relationships, their job, their life and so much more. Literature shapes this world, whether it is nonfiction or fiction. A lot of stories tell about events that are happening around us, or in the past that the author lived through. People may have completely different views when it comes to religion or politics, but they may find a book they both love. In a time like this with what the world is going through it is important to take a step back and find a hobby, find some positivity within the world around us.
I’ll end with a link to this poem I found about the times we are in right now, “Love in the Time of Corona” by Charles Coe. I really liked this poem the second I read it for the first time. It shows the importance of human’s needing the interaction with one another. At some point things will go back to how they used to be, but now is the time to find something you enjoy, maybe even a good book outside your comfort zone.
