It's still before the storm here, where I live, but reading the news from Italy, France, Spain and elsewhere, feels like being trapped in a nightmare.
I've read a couple of articles yesterday evening about the possible reasons why the virus left its natural hosts, the bats, all of which can be summarized as (human-made) stress: shrinking habitats, climate change, animals perched together in cages in the market. And the fact that flying bats have an elevated body temperature makes the virus so resilient to our bodies' natural response to a virus – fever.
In dire need of fresh air and some exercise I went out for a walk just before midnight – we're still allowed to do so – and right in the city centre I suddenly faced a badger, and only a few minutes later a fox. They were not shy at all, just looking at me, and resuming their search for food.
The Guardian has published a video of a herd of goats taking over the deserted streets of a Welsh town, the video of dolphins returning to the harbour of Trieste now that shipping traffic has come to a halt was all over social media. This morning a family of ducks paraded on the street in front of my house.
I found it strangely comforting – as if things were readjusting – that we are confined to our houses and apartments and animals are taking over public space. Probably I'm being just overly sensitive. I'm lucky that I can continue my work in my studio at home, which helps to stay level-headed, but from time to time the pent-up tension – and fear, and sadness – is difficult to cope with. Music helps. And hot chocolate.
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