James' Postcard from Home

In this current, rather strange situation, I have found myself craving nature. Due to this, early on in the lockdown, I started running as it seemed to give me a sense of freedom and an outlet for my energy – both of which were much needed. Since I am a musician, I’ve also been practising more than usual because I have so much more time on my hands and, to be brutally honest, it offers me a temporary escape from the ever-growing intensity of home life.

One of the things that makes me feel hope throughout this situation is my dog. No matter how awful the world is looking, one can always cheer him up simply by throwing his ball or taking him for a walk. Rather amusingly, my dog seems to be loving lockdown as, for once, he has all of the family around and, since everyone wants to get out of the house, he gets a few walks a day. His love of attention is fascinating and lovely to watch, especially as he is not usually a cuddly animal.

It has been nice to re-root myself back at home despite the fact that almost everything is closed. In my opinion, I think it is terribly sad that the Cathedral is shut, especially as it would have been lovely to attend the Easter services. Furthermore, the final work on the building’s west end has been postponed so the scaffolding, which should be down by now, is still reaching halfway up the beautiful façade. Despite this, I still love to walk around and admire what, in my mind, is one of the most amazing buildings in the world.

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