Dear Wizard,

There is a new disease out in the world, COVID-19, also known as “the coronavirus.” But, really, the common cold is a corona virus, so I feel silly calling it that. Three weeks ago, COVID-19 felt like a far away epidemic, but more recently it has escalated and become a pandemic. I’m stuck at home now. Social isolation. Normally this isn’t a problem for me. I’m an introvert. I love being alone. But, right now, I feel like I am crawling the walls of my apartment.

I know that leaving the house, aside from essentials, is bad, but what can I do to distract myself? I can’t focus on my writing. I can’t really focus to read.

Honestly, everything feels impossible to me.

Regards,
Sad Dragon (ze/zir)

Dear Dragon,

It sounds to me, like you are a young wizard and have not seen the ravages that disease brings upon humanity. I have been through this more times than I care to count…

However, right now, rather than focusing on the negative of the situation I want to bring you some possible positives. If your Tower does not suit your needs currently then now is a good time to give everything a good scrub down. This helps in multiple ways. You clear out the bad spirits. And they hate the smell of lemony freshness. So, perhaps this is an opportunity to clean your abode. And banish negative spirits.

It also gives you an opportunity to assess what you’ve amassed in your Tower.
It is no secret that wizards enjoy keeping their treasures. We tend to enjoy books, as well as candles, tea and other spells components. However, every wizard has their own habits and preferences. I once knew a wizard with a habit for collecting tea towels. I never did figure out what ze used all those tea towels for…That is beside the point. The point is this: do you need everything in your Tower? Now is a potentially optimal time to go through the Tower and assess.

Perhaps say goodbye to some things.

I know it is difficult. I have two or three bookcases full of grimoires myself. Not including my other books. However, clutter in one’s environment can create a potential for clutter in the mind. And it is difficult to explore the wonders of the universe with a cluttered mind. Or so, I’ve been told. (My mentor liked to remind me to regularly de-clutter. I didn’t always agree when I was younger.)

However, I’ve come around a tad as I’ve aged into a venerable and properly grumpy old wizard.

If you chose to do so, once you have cleaned your abode and de-cluttered your Tower: then you can go about organizing what you decided to keep in the way that most pleases you. You may even be able to find those spell components you misplaced fifty years ago (fairy farts). Not that I know what that’s like or anything. I never misplace my spell components.

This activity will not change the facts of the outside world. Nothing can change what is happening in the world right now. However, it may help you to feel that you have some sort of control in your life. And once you have a sparkling clean workroom, then perhaps you will feel the urge to work a spell again.

Exploring the Universe is usually be a joy and should not feel insurmountable. And I know it can be difficult to embrace the wonders of the Universe at a time like this. Because, fairy farts, the Universe just dumped dragon dung on the entire world like it was cleaning out its stables. The world has changed. So have you.

It is ok to both acknowledge the change and complete a task that gives you a moment to breath from the seismic shift in the world that everyone is experiencing.

The Universe will be there, waiting for you, when you are ready.

Sincerely,
A Wizard