1 June 2020

Back to work. Morning Zoom chat with a friend, then on to those novella edits. Spent the day on them, plunged down a research rabbit hole, came up for air in the late afternoon. Took a walk. The news is unbearable, but I’m reflecting on my own obligations and where I can make a difference. The work before our country seems overwhelming, and while I believe in its importance and do not underestimate the hard work involved, fighting off depression is hard. From the Pirkei Avot: “It is not incumbent upon you to complete the work, but neither are you at liberty to desist from it.” This gives me comfort: We all have a part to contribute, so solve your part. All the while I worry about protesters who aren’t wearing masks. We’re still in the middle of the pandemic. Please don’t get sick.

Dinner, yoga, more cleaning of my office. This is a project that will never, ever end. I strive for a tiny step every day. Some days I am capable of more. This is a pattern I find in my life, in everything I do: start with a tiny bit, sometimes it snowballs, but at the very least you’ve taken a positive step. The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, right? Or in my case, a single piece of paper dealt with and recycled. A book read. A phone call made. A discussion begun.