So, as I hinted yesterday, there is a global crisis at the moment and perhaps you feel as if your life has been upended and is in more chaos than the Pickwickian abode on a good day. Perhaps you have been devouring news articles, social media, letters from your pastors and bishops, helpful quotes, inspiring words. Perhaps you’ve also seen a quote from CS Lewis’ essay, “Living in an Atomic Age” that is floating about just now:

“If we are all going to be destroyed by an atomic bomb, let that bomb when it comes find us doing sensible and human things—praying, working, teaching, reading, listening to music, bathing the children, playing tennis, chatting to our friends over a pint and a game of darts—not huddled together like frightened sheep and thinking about bombs. They may break our bodies (a microbe can do that) but they need not dominate our minds.”

Well said. I’d like to read the rest of the essay. I’ve seen a longer portion quoted and it was excellent, as I would expect. His work has a way of arresting my inner cacophony, and forcing me to face myself.

I’ve been thinking hard how to best use my little spot here. There are encouraging words from a myriad of sources, reminders to pray, and reminders how to live in these uncertain times, which are very much like every other century of our uncertain human history. I don’t have anything to add. By all means, I hope everyone keeps sharing every resource, every thoughtful word they have with each other. What an outpouring of forgotten prayers, examples of saints, and community support! What can I possibly offer?

I’ll try this. Here in my little bubble (and I called it that before it was cool, ok?) I am going to try to keep doing human things. I am also going to do my fair share of reading the news, laying awake at night worrying, changing much of my daily life and routine, and reaching out to friends to take turns panicking and strengthening. But, honestly, I was doing that before it was cool, too. Weren’t we all?

Earlier this week, I had a melt-down: “We are almost out of groceries and the house is a wreck and the kids are bouncing off the walls and there is broken glass in the kitchen and I don’t know what’s for dinner and we are out of coffee and so are the neighbors so you’re going to have to sneak into your own shop after hours and smuggle it to their mailbox and I’m worried about everyone’s health and I just can’t take it anymore!!” Fr Pickwick replied, “Um, how is any of that unusual?” He had a good point. I am pretty sure I had the same meltdown last Tuesday, and the Tuesday before, and every Tuesday, sometimes a Wednesday if I want to shake things up.

These are tempting times. Imagine the material!!! “Mrs. Pickwick Panics” “The Pickwickian Pandemic!” “The Blessings on House Arrest, or, More Fun than a Barrel of Quarantined Monkeys” Humor is my coping mechanism. I could do an awful lot with this. But maybe, for my own peace and as a small offering to you, I can just…not.

If you need a space to come for a minute and see something that doesn’t have anything to do with the coronavirus, come here. This is the last time I’ll mention it. The Pickwicks will just be the Pickwicks, doing human things, and sharing them with you.