Inspiration came from my daily walks

Sheltering in Place and Social Distancing are both really messing with my morning routine.  Before these phrases became part of our daily vocabulary, I had an extremely consistent morning routine.  I was up at 5.55am and was out the door headed to the gym by 6:10am.  In the winter I didn’t enjoy waking up in the dark and walking to the gym in the cold, but I always looked forward to my morning training routine.  When the UK government closed the gyms, deeming that they were not a safe place to be, Daryl and I committed to continuing to get up early, albeit an hour later, and walk every morning.  It doesn’t really replace the intensive training we were doing, but it does get us outside and moving.   We’ve been following this ritual for nearly three weeks.  We have covered a lot of ground during these walks, starting from our Maida Vale home and making our way through various neighbourhoods and parks.  

Walking has always been something we’ve enjoyed, so many of the streets we walk aren’t new to us. The experience now is different.  The streets are so very quiet.  There are few cars and most of the time not many people.  It has surprised me that when we pass someone, they are much more likely to make eye-contact and say good morning (all while maintaining safe social distancing).  This pretty much never happened prior to the ‘lock-down’.

I’m also seeing a startling difference on the streets with shops and restaurants.  All shops that aren’t offering an essential service (as defined by the government) are closed.  Somewhat surprising to me, off-licence liquor stores are deemed necessary while the hair and nail salons are closed up tight.  Okay, I’m just kidding.  I completely understand the need to close the salons, however some of us would probably argue that they are a necessity.  Let’s face it: maybe alcohol helps us cope during the lock-down while some really want their hair and nails to look great.  Only those who desire alcohol get their wish.  Some shops have signs clearly stating they’re closed; others don’t need a sign since all their merchandise is gone from the shop windows and the interior is empty too.  Restaurants are clearly sign-posted; they are either closed or open only for take-away and delivery.  Although we are walking early in the morning, queues are already starting to form outside the grocery stores.  It is unsettling and sad to see our normally bustling and vibrant city of London so shuttered. 

While all of this is painfully evident, it is also strangely peaceful.  We can more easily hear the wind rustling in the trees and the birds chirping their ‘good morning’ songs.  The air is fresh and sweet – the lack of pollution is a silver lining we can enjoy.  And, it’s April.  Spring is all around us.  Each morning I’m seeing the earth come alive.  The daffodils and tulips have poked out of the ground and are showing their cheerful colours.  The trees are blossoming and starting to leaf.  Most days, I’m aware that the temperatures are getting warmer and the wind is no longer cold.  Taking this daily walk has allowed me to see the world waking up for another spring and it lightens my step and heart.

All my life I have been a creative person.  I thrive when I can create and express myself.  Wherever I am, I feel compelled to capture what I am seeing and feeling.  This hasn’t changed. I feel the same way on our morning walks.  I always have my camera at the ready to capture what I see.  Because we are being asked to walk for only an hour and stay local,  I have felt confined by this limitation.  My frustration is compounded by our inability to enjoy our normal activities.

As I mulled this over, I realised that I could turn these frustrations into something productive.  We are living through a time that will be unique in our lives.  My photos and writings are capturing this.  It occurred to me that my pictures and words would be more powerful if I could combine them with photos from others. The idea to create montages that told these stories was born and that is how Connected in Isolation began.