"Staying Home" by Eileen Scofield
Laura DeMaria
“Staying Home” by L’Arche Greater Washington core family member Eileen Scofield
I received this image in the mail as part of L’Arche’s annual report. I was enchanted by it. It’s drawn by Eileen, Scofield, a core family member in the DC community, an avid artist and the organization’s chief friendship builder.
She named this drawing “Staying Home,” and I realized after a day that I initially looked at it incorrectly. But I like both interpretations.
The first is that you are looking into a single room where many people are socially distanced, in their boxes (whatever you would like the boxes to stand for). I thought of this at first because I know within the L’Arche homes now, everyone eats dinner at least 6 feet apart. So it kind of looked like that to me. And I was moved, generally, by the depiction of apartness, with each person in their square box. It feels like that, doesn’t it?
Then I realized this is actually a view of a tall building - say, an apartment building - with all its residents home. You see them in their windows. Notice they are smiling, as if they are still enjoying life and carrying on, despite. I liked that message, too. And I like how Eileen captured the fact that even though everyone is separate, they are still truly all together. I lose sight of this in my own day-to-day, when I focus just on how I am soldiering on. It is easy to forget that all those around me are doing the same, in quite close proximity.
One other nice thing to share: I truly enjoyed this video, A Day in the Life of Kelly and Alice, from Arlington’s Highland House community. Eating breakfast, going for a walk, running through the sprinkler, watching TV and playing games. Pandemic has taught me to enjoy these very simple things. Or maybe not to take them for granted.