Practicing Patience
Illustration by Carolyn Burt | The Corsair
There is a phrase that has stayed with me since my freshman year of college, “just take it bird by bird.” In a passage by Anne Lamott, she tells the story of how her brother has found himself in a homework crisis, having waited until the last day to finish a report on birds that he had three months to write. Rather than stress his son out further, their father goes up to his child and offers the simple advice, “Bird by bird, buddy. Just take it bird by bird.” It has been a reminder in times of feeling overwhelmed and stressed with everything on my plate, to breathe, and focus on one task at a time.
There’s been mention in recent weeks of how we as a society are hitting the “pandemic wall.” To be quite honest, I feel as though this is not the first time I’ve hit this wall.
As an optimistic person, reality hit hard over the summer. Businesses began to reopen and it became visible how residents of L.A. County were not following guidelines, leading us back into another shutdown. I began to realize that “safety” is a loose term.
During this time at home I’ve witnessed how people justify their actions, explaining “we were being safe”, but the definition is never the same. For some it means only leaving their home for essentials, for others it's been creating a “bubble” with a few households or friends, and in extreme cases safety has meant getting a COVID-19 test to show you don’t currently have the virus, before traveling to wherever your passport allows for a much needed vacation, rationalized by the need to “support the economy.”
As difficult and draining as this year has been, I consider myself to be fortunate for what I have. A group of friends who understand the severity of the situation we’re in, opting for socially distant hangouts at the park to get some quality time away from screens. Parents who pay close attention to the news, since the pandemic first came to the U.S., and follow social distancing guidelines. Having resources such as a laptop and internet so that I’m able to continue my college career from the safety of my home.
But there have also been parallels to each. Frustration when my zoom screen informs me I have an unstable internet connection. Emptiness after signing off from class, with no one around to converse with. Feeling completely gaslit and hurt as I explain my concern of veering away from the precautions I’ve been following, while others try to tell me that adjustments need to be made since we’re in this situation for the long haul. Anger as I look at social media and watch how Los Angeles based influencers parade around the city as if nothing is happening, other than having to wear a mask in public.
It’s daunting to look at the world around us and the state we’re currently in. Hope is on the horizon as vaccines begin to be dispersed, however this is not a quick fix. Our lives as we knew them a year ago will not return overnight. It will be gradual, it will take time, but step by step, day by day, and bird by bird, I believe we will get there.
