The Great Pause - When everything stopped, when tragedy struck, when we couldn’t believe it. The Great Pause - when birds came out, when people died, when a pangolin breathed. The Great Pause - when cities went quiet, when houses weren't enough, when they had to walk. The Great Pause - when TV showed reruns, when millions went hungry, when no doorbell rang. The Great Pause - when the earth stopped rattling, when everyone kept away, when they remembered everyone. The Great Pause - when air became air, when we set miracles aside, when doctors toiled and prayed. The Great Pause - when windows became enchanted, with plenty under the sky, when each one was sacred. The Great Pause - when speakers stopped lying, when religion didn’t matter, when we cooked for each other. The Great Pause - when the mountains appeared, when the world was out in plain sight, when we had to believe it. The Great Pause - when everyday became that day, when we got the chance, to start again. The Great Pause - when we hurt, when we waited, when it was all too profound.
Image: Fulton Center station in Lower Manhattan, New York City. Alan Taylor for The Atlantic (March 18, 2020)
