Building Resilience

This week is week 2 of a 3 week break between Summer and Fall quarter at my school.  My spouse teaches college Philosophy classes at one school that has announced a return to in-person instruction at the end of September and at another school that will stay remote/virtual for the whole term.

At least, that's the thinking right now.  I had thought that our county's K-12 schools had committed to all virtual through the rest of the year, and they've announced a return too.

At least with K-12, I understand that there are a plethora of competing forces, and it's not just about whatever money may have been promised to schools that return to in-person classes.  I do know that most children with disabilities of all sorts are not faring well with remote learning.  I don't know how parents are coping with having to do their own work and having to shepherd the online experiences of their children.

I am also feeling this foreboding, this "winter is coming" kind of vibe.  What will we wish we had done with these last warm days of a different season, when we look back months or years from now?

I am planning on getting some reading done.  Months ago, I ordered Gail Godwin's latest book, and I've been saving it for this week. 

Will that help me as the virus resurges once we all return to indoor life?  In some ways, yes.

I am also hopeful that I can get some writing done, that I can start a daily/weekly practice that will result in more poems that are publishable.  At this point, I'd be happy if I could just get a poem to a finishing line where I could be sure it's the moment to begin to revise.

I am wondering what we will learn about resilience, when we look back upon this time.  As another storm (Beta--we're to Greek letters!) lashes the Gulf Coast, I am thinking about resilience, about what we need to have stored up.

So yes, I'm keeping my pantry stocked with food, and we have a stockpile of toilet paper.  I fully expect some more supply chain disruptions to come.

But it's also important to stockpile memories:  of good books to read, of continuing to persist in the belief that strong poems are on the way, of time together when we can steal/force time to make that happen.

Tomorrow we celebrate the autumnal equinox.  Let us increase whatever will make us resilient for the hungry season ahead.