Two years ago this month (January 8, 2020), we said goodbye to our sweet Max. I can’t believe it’s been that long already. Yet so many things have happened to our world the past two years that it seems like enough for ten years instead of two.
One year ago this month (January 2021), I got the dreaded virus. It wasn’t fun. I’d been declining in health each and every day until I got the proper protocol for treatment. To this day, I don’t think I would’ve survived without it.
Presently, the cases here have been high, and I’ve been hunkering down, not going anywhere except outside for dog walks. Not even the store (ordering online). I do not want it to happen again, and they aren’t allowing patients to receive the treatment protocol that worked for me before.
I’ve never understood why people think that doing the same thing over and over will produce a different result, but that’s a topic for another time.
I don’t know how to write blog posts anymore. I could pretend like we aren’t a divided world being separated into caste systems. I could pretend it doesn’t hurt that friends have dumped me for favor of the group they’ve been caste into.
Except, I’m not a good pretender. I never have been and don’t intend to try. I only know how to be me.
I saw this division coming since 2012 when I hinted in my early blogs. I didn’t see a virus, of course, but I did foresee worsening societal division. I even had a dream about it in 2016 and shared the dream here on the blog. In the six years since that blog post, there are even more categories we’ve been divided into.
However, I have been able to focus on things to be grateful for. Things like nature. Things like my family being well. Like a roof over my head, and food to eat. I really love my home. As you can see from the header photo, it’s warm and comforting.
We had a beautiful, glisteny snow over the weekend. We drove to a short trail to get out for a bit and enjoy the season. The first time I’ve been somewhere outside of just a few-block radius in about six weeks.
So, I can still share photos and focus on the pretty things . . . the things to be grateful for.
I’m not going to lie, there are days when all that’s going on in the world gets to me. Much of the time I don’t feel like ignoring the elephant in the room to write a blog post.
The novel I’ve been working on for a good ten years now is related to what’s going on in the world. The story is meant to remind us of our true worth.
If you got through this, thanks for reading and for checking out my winter photos.
I hope everyone who reads this is fairing well. May the citizens of the world unite in peace soon.
Stay well friends.
Lori's Lane 
Lori, thank you for your beautiful winter photos and love the idea of glistening snow – so pristine and pure in an otherwise murky world. It is disheartening how the world is becoming split over an issue that affects us all so intrinsically – from friends in America learning of families pulled apart as well as deep friendships. I feel for your loss of friends but sometimes one has to follow one’s own moral compass and be true to oneself. It’s good you recovered from Covid last year – so far we’ve managed to stay clear and hunkering down for the most apart from pressing appointments. Next week heading into London for necessary passport renewal – I will be happier once back home! Good luck with your writing and take heart from your work and the light around you – I too have days where I acknowledge it is all getting too much and the next day feel a bit of a lift again. love & hugs xx
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Hi Annika. As usual, your comment is kind and wise. This was especially profound about the glistening snow, “so pristine and pure in an otherwise murky world.” I took heart in your acknowledgement of following my own moral compass. Plus, knowing you relate by having some days where it’s overwhelming and then other days when you get a lift again. Me, too. Thank you for sharing.
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You’re welcome, Lori and thanks for “going on.” 🙂 I’m interested in how others think about life, about what confronts us now. Thanks for sharing.
I hope you find “Day of the Triffids.” I’m sure it’s out of print but you can probably find a used copy somewhere. Wyndham’s books are all very interesting and explore complex societal issues through the dystopian lens.
Losing friends is very hard and I feel for you. I went through a period of that 15 years ago. I had to take a certain action and was judged very harshly for it. In the end I decided that those who felt they were in a position to judge were not worth my time. Those who stayed were my real friends and I love them.
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I appreciate you sharing your experience, Lynette. I know you’re right about those (ex) friends. Stay well and warm up there in the great white north. 💗
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We’re living in such a very peculiar time. I keep being reminded of the novel “Day of the Triffids” (John Wyndham). I don’t know if you’re familiar with it but it was one of the early and groundbreaking dystopian novels that made a path for writers such as Bradbury and Atwood. It made a serious impression on me when I was about 14 and more recently I’ve been mulling it over a lot.
A blog is a journal, so you can write about whatever you want to (or not), and sometimes it means having to take time (perhaps a long time) to think or mull before you write. Good to see you here, though. Beautiful photos and your pooch seems adorable. 🙂
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Hi Lynette. Thank you for sharing about that novel. I’m not familiar with it. I’ll have to check it out. It sounds like it really did make an impression if it’s getting you to mull it over in today’s world.
I started this blog as a platform for my writing career. Though the theme is mostly to go deep into philosophy and introspection (with a break in between for recipes & photography), I’ve not really wanted to get into societal issues and politics. I never wanted to alienate readers and friends. Yet, what’s happening in the world is a reflection of philosophy and a good reason to introspect. I’m torn. And sometimes I just don’t want to pussyfoot around and be diplomatic about things. I want to speak my mind, emotions and all. But again, I don’t want to alienate, so it’s difficult to know what to write.
I’m going on a bit now, spilling my thoughts. Having a little difficulty today after learning about a friend’s death (from the dreaded virus).
My next book actually does deal with societal issues in a sense. Mostly it shows how it’s up to us to look to ourselves for change and not expect the rest of the world to change according to our needs. Whenever it comes out, I may be blogging more often about societal issues. I’ll have to think about it.
Thank you for your thoughtful response. And my adorable pooch is a little rascal troublemaker. 😉
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Time has seemed to have no meaning over these two years – it has passed very strangely. Thanks for sharing those lovely wintry photos.
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Hi Andrea. So true about time having no meaning. Thanks for checking out those wintry photos. 😊
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I find myself saying so often, I can’t believe this is all happening. But we carry on and do the best we can. I have also had so-called friends drift away because of our extreme differences in our philosophies (which are reflected in our political leanings), but somehow, they are always the people who can’t have a give and take discussion. If a person’s conversation is always “my way or the highway” then it isn’t worth continuing that so-called friendship anyway, and they are not as big a loss to us as we, at first, may think. Still, such a shame that they can’t even meet us halfway.
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I know what you mean, Anneli. I can’t believe this is all happening either. History continues to repeat itself. People remain blind to what is happening to portions of their fellow citizens and they allow injustices which leads to much worse. BTW, I’ve been thinking of you. I’ve seen that Canadian truckers are forming a convoy and strike. It’s all over social media, but the mainstream covers nothing. They don’t even show what’s happening in all the other countries in the world except Ukraine & Russia. Good to talk to you.
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I’m usually pretty disgusted by our Cdn. news too. At least the truckers are speaking up.
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I feel that you are a gifted writer and social blogger who’s not afraid to express your personal emotions. Keep writing, the world needs your perspective.
BTW, I’ve kept up with your various works and I was enlightened to a perspective that I just never understood. A person only knows what they have learned from their personal lifepath. Like you, I’m a lifelong learner and path finder.
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Hi Lee. This is so kind of you to say. Thank you for your support.
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