Word of the day

About life and ladder games

… And about the coronavirus as a lesson.

I know I'm lucky. Insanely lucky. Many would give their lives for their children to get what I have. Many would give their lives for much less as well. And there are many who have it like me. Isn't it amazing how fast we take things for granted?

It's easy to think that the world is a ladder. We start some distance towards the bottom, some further down than others, and then we climb up and up. New phone, new step. Boyfriend, new step. Education, new step. Job. Apartment. Car. House. Cottage. Up and up.

The problem is that the ladder never ends. Correction, the ladder is part of the ladder game (with the appropriate subtitle "who reaches the top first?"). You roll the dice and stroll away. You get sixes, fours and ones. Occasionally you hit the ladder that goes almost to the top, and suddenly you step down and end up back at the start, or five or six steps down. And if you are lucky enough to finish in front of the others, you must either start a new game or stand on the sidelines and watch while the others play.

The corona crisis is a long ladder down for us to enter. It goes beyond our finances, our friendships, family life, work and nightlife. It restricts our freedom in most areas. And even though it is mostly negative, we have all received something valuable: a lesson. For suddenly we miss our small rooms. Do in the hallway. Sitting in the fireplace room. Breakfast. The evening meal. The common subjects - even with a little bad air. Roommates and teachers. To go to the store. Slightly quarrelsome internet.

And we miss words for the day. Together. In the lecture hall. With singing and messages. Per - and Øystein Ziener. Susan laughing - or crying. A slightly small doctor inspired by Dr. Phil.

These are just a few of the things we must not take for granted.

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