"And yet, in my case, I can't let it go: old habits die hard. I can't rid myself of the need to do "something," to make "something," to feel that this new expanse of time hasn't been "wasted." Still, it's nice to have company. Watching this manic desire to make or grow or do "something," that now seems to be consuming everybody, I do feel comforted to discover I'm not the only person on this earth who has no idea what life is for, nor what is to be done with all this time aside from filling it." Intimations, by Zadie Smith
This is first Zadie Smith book I have read, and I wish I would have found her sooner because this small, but powerful read left me feeling like "Zadie, where have you been all my life!" But, alas, here we are and in my opinion, in perfect timing.
Zadie Smith's writing style is high-level but easy to comprehend, making it all the more thought provoking. This collection of personal reflections, was so powerful in such a quick read. It made me examine how I am choosing to spend my time during this pandemic and how I processed and dealt with the isolation and upset to my normal routine; additionally making me question my commitment to such a routine in the first place. Having experienced a wave of change myself, I wondered how does one effectively manage the dynamic emotions that arise in a crisis? Through her transparency, Zadie Smith confirmed that what we felt, what we did and continue to do, is not so strange after all, but a product of often ignored elements of our lives, that we now, with excess time, are forced to ponder.