AGM60 An Eternity Moment 29 March 2020

While getting ready for the day, on the morning of 29 March, I noticed that my perfume bottle was half empty. After having this thought, I reminded myself not to be negative – it was half full. Then I realised that this positive slant was an essential element of the current situation in which I found myself.

While taking in the familiar blend, including notes of pomegranate, warm rosewood, guava, and passionflower plus other exotic fragrances, further thoughts came to me – do I use it or save it? If I used it over the next few weeks, that would mean ordering another for delivery soon. Would this result in someone not getting an essential that they need?

So, should I save it? I had been using this perfume since 2011 and it was part of my ‘identity’ and routine. I really cherish that part of my daily ritual and feel slightly ‘naked’ without my signature scent. So I made the decision to continue using it. There was no indication at that time as to when the lockdown would finish, but I would not deny myself a small daily luxury when I still had the opportunity to do so. If I run out before being to get some more, then so be it. In the meantime, I would relish that burst of fragrance each morning while I could.

After this particular meditation, I made another observation – the perfume’s name. Eternity Moment. This nomenclature was synonymous with being in lockdown. It feels like it will last an eternity, but in truth, it’s only a moment. This too shall pass. Over the years, I have learned that change is inevitable. And when change happens, it’s how one responds to it that makes a difference. Having been in countless situations of change beyond my control, I’ve discovered that by focusing on what I can do, rather than what I can’t, I have got through them in a more productive way. As Einstein stated, the definition of insanity is “doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”. I certainly have had the personal experience of this ‘insanity’. By changing my behaviour and thoughts in uncertain times, I have staved off particular moments of madness.

These thoughts also lead me to the title of this project – Moments of Eternity. Each image that I will be including in this body of work is a moment and direct result of this unique time we are experiencing and my response to it. For me, this is a very apt name and metanarrative for these images.