06_Hiking Marks

Covid-19 and the subsequent political responses have completely upheaved the existing world order. Since the University of Pennsylvania has moved to online learning, and evicted most people from campus, I have been home in New Jersey. To pass time, and to make sure I get some fresh air each day, I go for walks around my neighborhood and on local hiking trails. It has been enjoyable to spend some more time in nature--curated or not. One concept that I’ve been contemplating throughout this pandemic is how society impacts nature and how nature impacts society.

On a recent walk on Hacklebarney State Park’s trails, I noticed the physical marks of people carved into tree trunks. They seem to have been carved mostly by romantic partners; they reflect a desire to make a mark--to leave a trail. One such carving reads, “Sharon + Walter,” and it is carved in a fairly old tree. Sharon and Walter appear to have been here many years prior. The width of the carved letters reflect a passage of time as the tree radially expands each year. The growth rings thicken the letters. Somebody with the initials “J.G.” may have left his or her mark more recently as his letters are significantly thinner.

As the Covid-19 pandemic spreads throughout populations across the globe, the death tolls are rising. Survivors of the virus commonly complain about ongoing respiratory ailments such as shortness of breath. The physical tolls of death and illness are already apparent. The emotional and cultural scars remain to be seen. Will society change after this pandemic? Will we strive for healthier living habits and greater support of social structures? What will happen due to the economic turmoil? Will restaurants and small business close permanently? Will the online marketplace be spurred on by a renewed focus on cleanliness? Will commercial landscape of brick and mortar shops be eliminated? What other scars may this pandemic leave on society? I think it is too soon to know.

05_Emptiness

There is a certain stillness in the world. Parks are closed. Stores are closed. Streets are (relatively) barren. The emergency healthcare response and the government mandates to stay home have left normally lively places desolate. This is what the train station parking lot should look like on a Sunday morning, but this is what it looks like on a weekday afternoon. The few cars in the lot represent those few commuters who may be essential workers and are still needed in this time of crisis. This will not be the new world order; these measures are temporary, and the pandemic will dissipate. However, the deserted quality of normally bustling places provides a different perspective--one with limited human activity. It is almost as if one can more clearly see the cultural landscape without people as a distraction.

One changing perspective is the shifting use of buildings. The ticket office and waiting room building at the station appears as more of an outpost or folly in a sea of pavement than a nodal point of departure for masses of commuters headed to Manhattan. Its function has been largely eliminated. Homes have become lifelines for many people. Social media is replete with how people are using their spaces differently. Neighborhood social gatherings are held curbside from the minimum distance of six feet in a circle of lawn chairs. Those who can work remotely have found inventive ways to establish temporary offices at home. The mandated limited movement has forced people to do more with what they have. Necessity is the mother of invention.

Hopefully society’s values will continue shift towards resourcefulness as a result of this pandemic. Hopefully people will learn to conserve and cease wasteful behaviors. Hopefully there is some silver lining as a result of all this disruption.