#300 Musings Beyond the Bunker (Wednesday March 16)
Good morning
Whenever we hit another 100 Musings, I typically share a few “best of” selections. But today, I’m going to celebrate this anniversary a bit differently…
Today marks 732 days, two years and 700 Musings, by my count, since the beginning of the pandemic “lock-down.” It was on March 14, 2020, with Lauren home from New York and Jake on his way that the “bunkering down” began. On that day, I sat down to send out the first “Musing From the Bunker” to a few friends. And I haven’t stopped yet. This sort of dedication begs the question, “Why?”
FORTRESSES OF SOLITUDE
Why, indeed. While many people thought the lock-down would continue for a week or two, I had figured that it would last a few months. As a result, I figured I would be separated from friends for a long period of time and I wanted to remain in touch. I also figured it would be a good exercise of self-discipline to reach out to friends on a daily basis to share thoughts about the pandemic, the upcoming election, what to make of our lives in semi-isolation and the increased incivility of society. In fact, one of the first Musings had a picture of Superman in his “Fortress of Solitude,” a metaphorical home we would come to appreciate more as days became weeks and weeks became months.
But staying in touch and focusing on a couple of issues wasn’t enough. In order to build community and share some of our shared passions, I decided to include pastimes like books, movies, TV, history, philosophy and puzzles. But that also wasn’t enough. I also wanted to share with others the anxieties and isolation that the pandemic would bring and the self-reflection and inward focus that separation from the everyday interactions would bring, including the attendant loneliness and separation.
LAYING IT ALL OUT THERE
But again, “why?” Part of this was to perform contrary to type. Oh, sure, I’ve always been opinionated and ready for a friendly debate of politics or philosophy. But I’ve typically played my “personal” cards close to my vest. My parents came from a line of people that bore their obligations and responsibilities, and dealt with problems and challenges, privately. They passed this same gene on to me. My father used to say that no one wants to hear your problems. He also maintained that, when faced with a challenge, you deal with it and don’t complain. He said you always want to be the person amongst your friends that is responsible and can be counted on. This is great advice—up to a point.
I felt when the pandemic hit that, after 63 years, I would lift the veil. I would allow myself to be vulnerable and share whatever I was thinking. In some sense, it’s catching up on the “journaling” my mother always recommended I do but life got in the way. I’m not sure much of what I have said over these two years is terribly illuminating or self-defining, but it is purely and unabashedly a tiny piece of my world view. I figured these Musings would be a chronicle of sorts, friendly exchanges about interesting entertainments and interests, and a testament to one person’s willingness to share his interests and quirks and encourage the same in others.
What I could not have anticipated over the course of these Musings is how people have responded to them. Through the Musings, I have rediscovered friendships from high school, college, law school, and various stages of life. People have written back in droves. Each morning, I read emails agreeing with what I say, disagreeing sometimes, correcting misstatements, suggesting topics to consider or offering books/quotes/art/music worth sharing. Some have gone beyond this and shared their own life experiences, innermost thoughts and challenges in life (the more personal of these I have kept to myself and have not shared with everyone else, for obvious reasons).
LESSONS LEARNED
What I have learned about the various people who have shared with me—and you—is that life is a complex, rich journey in which we meet truly extraordinary individuals, some whom we have had the good sense to retain in our lives and others who, through nothing more than the “busy-ness” of life we have inadvertently lost contact with. I have also learned that, just as I was motivated to share through the Musings, others have thoughts, feelings, opinions, and ideas they want to share with others—part of the story that is their lives and their innermost thoughts and personal baggage.
All too often, we hear someone refer to another person and their “baggage,” as if one’s life experiences and lessons learned are a burden to be borne. What I have learned through these Musings is that people’s baggage is also elevating, informative, and valuable. Perhaps a better way of thinking about the “baggage” of life borne by each of us, is that we should imagine it instead as a collection of experiences that strengthen and enable us to face each new day—perhaps a little wiser. Even the baggage of tragedy or loss is also a part of who we are and propels us forward. When it becomes a drag on our personal development and our life’s journey, then it truly becomes “baggage.”
So why continue with the Musings? Well, first of all, there is still so much in our world worth observing and commenting upon. And just when I think I’ve exhausted topics, along comes Ben or Mark or Ron or Peter or Bradley or Mandy, Alan, or Judy, or someone else with another idea worth discussing. And just when I think I’ve shared every short poem or song, Diane or Allison or Chris, or Mark, or Matthew or Adam or someone else shares something else special, enlightening or entertaining.
If there is a world view that these Musings have caused me to embrace, it is that we learned through isolation that we are not alone, that through the big lie and the insurrection, we must cling even more tightly to the values that animate this great American experiment, that there are a lot of compelling, often seemingly insurmountable problems that we face, but we have the optimism and creativity to address them, if only we steel ourselves for that battle, that autocracy and totalitarianism are forces still to be reckoned with but that peace-loving democrats seem ready to stand up to them, and that the next generation, with their preoccupation with work/life balance and a commitment to the environment and service and community, have something to teach us.
I’m going to keep this up for a while because it means something to me and I think it means something to many of you.
Let’s talk again when we hit the next 100.
Have a great day,
Glenn
From the archives: