My usual day oscillates between home and office, which are only 2-3 km apart. The daily experience is the interaction within this limited locality. The front yard where my bike is parked, the walking/biking bridge from Milton to Cambridge, the cycleway towards my son’s school, the road to the office, the bike stand, the kitchen with rice-cooker and the wooden bench on the lakeside where we have lunch together. But my interaction or engagement is much more than these physical spaces. I engage with my home back in India, friends and relatives, news from all over India and worry about the regressive politics gaining momentum day by day. But there are many incidents in the world towards which I am sympathetic to, but not invested emotionally. Be it Afghanistan or Palestine, my perspective was emotionally distant from the issue.
Thanks for writing this. Bringing forth what is going on in all minds and hearts. Hope it triggers some empathy and sanity.
Thought-provoking piece. More power to your colleague!