How Quiet It Has Become

I didn't write yesterday. I wrote, just not on the Daily Article.

I'm in my final week of study with two exams next weekend, so in the last few days I've been writing answers to past paper questions. I might polish them up and publish them here later.

I'm finished for the summer then, and it's off to an MSc somewhere in September.

With these college commitments, the economic and social lockdown has kind of played right into my hands. Gov are throwing me a few bob and I'm at home studying.

Gift.

I know it's not the same for everyone. Some of you have a hard time managing kids and trying to work from home, but for me, it has worked out for the best.

At least for now.

I woke up the other morning about 5 am. No, I'm not one of those Uber-productive millennial types that gets up at the crack of dawn. I tried it several times before and it doesn't work for me.

I work better at night. Besides, I love my scratcher. I can stay there until lunchtime if I have no commitments.

I needed the toilet.

Bleary-eyed, the first thing I noticed was the chorus of birdsong coming through the window. The dawn chorus is normal in the brighter months of Spring and Summer where I live, but this time it was different.

It seemed louder and deeper than before. Like as if every branch of every tree held a blackbird. It was intense, so I sat on the edge of the bath listening for a few minutes.

Someone told me that because there is so little traffic on the roads and less human activity generally, the birds can complete their entire song, not just a small part.

At night when I go outside it's strangely quiet and I think, this is what it must be like to live outside the city. I don't see any reason why this new reality can't be permanent.

It seems to be a better fit.