I really enjoyed listening to your discussion with Dr. Birky. One thing that really struck me about the discussion was how contextualized it was to the backdrop of the pandemic. I like how it felt like the pandemic was almost like a catalyst for you and Dr. Birky to host a discussion which you had been thinking about for a while–which also relates to the idea of the pandemic as a catalyst for creative endeavors. Reflecting on my experience this semester, another semester in in the middle of the pandemic, my mind took me back to a spot which I always find myself grateful to be in when life takes me there. I’m referring to the historic district on the North Side of Bethlehem. I love historic districts because I am someone who romanticizes the past. I love the feeling of history evident in the crumbling brick structure down towards the creek. I remember wandering over to the historic district by myself on a particularly gray day (it was February 27, I know this because I log my runs). On that day it felt like the weather mirrored the mood, the foreboding gloom, of the pandemic which was constantly hanging over my head. Coming up on the historic quarters on my way back home I stopped and paused to take a photo of it because it really struck me, the beauty of it. Something about how beautiful it was, its resilience in enduring the passage of time for so long, and the reminder of the resilience of the people who lived in a time so much more difficult than ours is humbling, and hopeful. To convey the optimism and hope of the visual journal entry, I introduced the symbol of the Bethlehem star. As a religious symbol, its a beacon. It beckons wary travelers to a refuge which is ultimately a salvation. I wanted to show that the past connects with the present of the south side, and that all paths lead forward, toward a brighter future.
Luckenbach Mill, Historic Bethlehem – February 27, 2021