Peace amidst such turmoil is found in the most unlikely places.

Subscribe now for unlimited access.

Login or signup to continue reading

These past couple of weeks I've sought refuge in the gritty streets of a Philadelphia neighbourhood wracked by the opioid crisis and a string of murders. Lost myself in the crowded food markets of Kyoto. Explored narrow arcades in Europe. Found calm in tiny bookstores and lush greenhouses. Discovered serenity atop a noisy machine.

All in the comfort of home.

Let's start with Philadelphia. A month or so ago, I stumbled upon a TV series called Long Bright River. Expectations were low - yet another American cop drama, I assumed - but the pickings were slim so I gave it a go.

Intense, dark, empathetic, compelling and complicated, it follows patrol cop Michaela Fitzpatrick, played by Amanda Seyfried, as she searches for her junkie sister, who's gone missing just as a spate of murders begins in the neighbourhood.

The setting is unremittingly grim. Rain lashed streets overshadowed by an elevated train line and full of desperate addicts in constant search of the next fix. Michaela - Mickey, as she's known - is a single mum who grew up here among the Irish diaspora and genuinely cares for the damaged people it's her duty to serve and protect.

I won't give too much away except that the story peels away the layers that make Mickey such a sympathetic and complex character. You'd need a heart of stone not to become emotionally invested. When the series ended, it left a hole, which I filled by tracking down the book on which it was based, Long Bright River by Liz Moore, nominated by Barack Obama as a book of the year in 2020, when it was published.

I normally inhale books but not this one. I'm savouring it, relishing the escape it offers in that half-hour before bedtime. And reliving the story that so moved me on the screen.

I've also found peace with my hands, building book nooks, miniature worlds that have found places on shelves throughout the house. They're highly detailed, clever dioramas that come in a flat pack and can soak up hours of assembly without the frustration and sweat of IKEA's weekend projects.

Putting them together is relaxing and meditative. Most important, every hour focused on them is an hour's escape from the bombardment of alarming news. Peace on the dining room table and peace when I pause over........

© The Examiner