If youād walked up to me on Jan. 1, 2020, and told me that by springtime Iād be working remotely and quarantined inside my home due to a global pandemic, Iām not sure I would have believed you. It would have seemed too surreal ā and in many ways, it still does.
2019 wasnāt the best year for me personally, and as the clock switched over to 12:00 a.m. on New Yearās Eve, I jokingly cheered (yes, I actually cheered out loud), telling my husband how glad I was that 2019 was over. 2020 was going to be my year ā it was definitely going to get better. I mean, it couldnāt get worse…right?
While I donāt ever regret being optimistic, I was pretty wrong when it came to my forecast for 2020. I donāt know exactly when life will get back to normal, but I have faith that one day it will. Iāve witnessed both the worst and the best in humanity during the past few weeks, but itās comforting to find that the good actually does outweigh the bad.
Iāve seen people reaching out to each other, offering (virtual) support in this time of social distancing. People have been sharing supplies and donating to those who are worse off than they are. Iāve also seen an outpouring of gratitude for those who are still working on the front lines, like grocery store employees, doctors, nurses, and others who keep vital social services running.
If youāre one of those people serving on the front lines, thank you. And to those of you who are in quarantine and doing what you can to help your community by stopping the spread of this disease, I thank you too.
As we all try to find a new normal and search for moments of joy amidst so much fear and uncertainty, Iāve found two things that have really helped me. One, Iāve been crafting up a storm. Iāve been writing, quilting, and crocheting. I feel a need to create, to keep my mind and hands busy. And, Iāve also been watching movies.
One of the most cathartic experiences of the past week was watching Edgar Wrightās movie āThe Worldās End.ā Itās a dark sci-fi comedy about a group of friends that get together for what starts as an ordinary pub crawl in a small British town, but then literally ends with the apocalypse.
The movie is really funny and clever (as are the two other comedies in this series: āShaun of the Deadā and āHot Fuzzā), and itās healing to let go of your fears for a couple of hours and just laugh.
Apparently Iām not the only one seeking pandemic catharsis in disaster/apocalyptic movies during this time. Films like āContagionā and āOutbreakā seem to be popular streaming choices right now.
When it comes to more serious disaster films, people may find the viewing experience oddly comforting, because as scary as this coronavirus quarantine is, at least itās not as bad yet as some of the situations in these doomsday flicks. We feel better when weāre reminded that real life isnāt that out of control.
Although āThe Worldās Endā is primarily a comedy that helped me feel better by distracting me, there actually are some deeper themes you can pull from it.
At the beginning of the movie, we see a flashback of the friends hanging out as teenagers. Now, theyāre middle-aged men with careers, and theyāve drifted apart. The apocalypse actually forces them to confront some of their real-life issues, and they grow closer to each other because of the strange experience.
The friends in āThe Worldās Endā never would have made it if they didnāt have each other, and the same is true for the real-life pandemic weāre all facing now. True, we canāt actually help each other face to face because of social distancing, but we can still do our part. This is a time when technology truly can be used for good ā FaceTime or Skype with someone who is lonely or struggling. Text your family and friends to make sure theyāre doing okay. Post fun pictures of your pet on social media to brighten someone elseās day.
Donāt be that person in every doomsday movie who spends the entire story just looking out for their own self. I know weāre all scared, but we all have the capacity ā and the strength ā to do better. Itās going to take all of us working together to get through this.
In the final scenes of āThe Worldās Endā movie, we see characters turning to a simpler life as the apocalypse causes massive societal upheaval. Iām trying to find the positive in my real-life situation by being more purposeful about what I buy, what I eat, how I spend my time, etc.
Finally, the coronavirus quarantine has helped me appreciate just how important my family and friends are. It really hurts that I canāt spend time with them face to face, and when I finally do get to see them in person again, itās going to be really special. Iām going to try to stop taking the little joys of life for granted: I canāt wait to go to the movie theater again and go back to work and see my coworkers.
Until then, Iām gonna stay home and wash my hands, and when I start feeling down, Iām going to rewatch āThe Worldās Endā to remind myself that A) itās okay to find laughter in the middle of a dark time, and B) itās important to focus on what really matters: people.
The Story Geeks bloggerĀ Ashley Pauls responds with an additional perspective to the Story Geeks podcast series. [Listen Here: Apple,Ā Stitcher,Ā Podbean]
Do you love stories and storytelling ā especially sci-fi, fantasy, and comic book movies? Join The Story Geeks Club! Itās FREE! Join The Story Geeks Club here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thestorygeeks/
Want MORE from The Story Geeks? Become a VIP Member of The Story Geeks Club: https://www.patreon.com/thestorygeeks
Join The Story Geeks Club as a VIP Member