Waiting for things to change

When confronted by change there are so many unknowns – How long will it take to adapt? What will life look like on the other side? It takes time to adjust, time to know exactly how big the impact will be. We might see change coming like a wave and brace for it, but sometimes there is nothing we can do but wait and try to find out feet in the aftermath.

Part of what I’ve found so challenging about the physical distancing and staying indoors is the waiting. We can’t know the next steps until we’ve seen the results of these measures and with an incubation period of 14 days, we just have to wait and hope. These weeks time has changed its shape. I count the minutes and forgot what day it is as they merge into one another and the mind spins. But life doesn’t just stop while we wait for this to pass. We still go shopping, prepare lunch, answer emails. For some the waiting period is filled with frenetic activity that feels never ending. But will life really feel so radically different after we’ve finished waiting? 

Here is a videopoem that takes this concept of waiting inside as its starting point. It’s a short juxtaposition of image, poem and sound that seeks to spark ideas about isolation, waiting and the uncertainty these create. 

What does waiting mean for you? What is it you’re waiting for?

The videopoem is part of ‘Disturbance Zones’, a suite of videopoems that explore ways in which our natural and social environments are becoming increasing unstable. This project, with new videopoems fortnightly, explores the metaphor of disturbance throughout our environment and social lives, challenging the way we think about these constant changes around us. You can follow the project on Vimeo.