Autumn! What a wonderful time of year. This is the time when deeply hidden, melancholy feelings emerge from the depths of my soul. I love the light that changes its quality and my senses with it. I love the leaves glowing in the sun, in the most beautiful colors, floating slowly in the gentle wind on the forest floor or swirling and dancing through the air in the howling autumn storm. I love walking from the house to the chicken coop in the morning and letting the chickens out for the shortening day. I love it when they walk across the yard in a goose march, or rather chicken march, and peck their food out of the damp earth. I love the fact that now at 5 pm it really is 5 pm again and the day sinks into darkness and gives way to night. I just love living out here in the forest, pure nature. Air to breathe, space to stretch out, what a luxury. Yesterday, as I was driving home from the city with my 13-year-old son, right through the middle of the forest, he suddenly said: "Look at that tree, Mom. And I had to laugh because we were surrounded by hundreds of trees and I suddenly realized that it's hard to see a single tree in a forest. And then I remembered the saying: Can't see the wood for the trees and I thought it should actually mean can't see THE tree for the wood. And that's how I feel about the current global situation.
What am I actually getting at? I don't really know myself. Because when I sat down at my computer this morning, I just wanted to write something about fall. But I received an email from Airbnb that made me thoughtful, sad and yes, I admit it, a little angry. And it forced me to make a decision, out here in the forest, where we have so much space.
Airbnb requires that you commit to wearing a mask when interacting with guests (mandatory) as well as a new cleaning standard with disinfectants etc. including mask protection when cleaning the houses. If you do not agree to these guidelines, your calendar will be blocked. Well, I don't want to comment on corona here. I am not a corona denier, as so many are now being called who dare to express certain doubts about the measures. But we here in Sweden do NOT have a mask requirement. The houses on the RelaxRanch all have a distance of about 100 meters, the area is 9 hectares large and we have endless space here to keep the safety distance. We do not want to see people wearing masks here and ask you to accept this. And that's why we're saying goodbye to Airbnb and trust that people who want to spend their vacation with us without masks will find us that way.
What is the global situation doing to all of us? I'm deliberately not saying what the virus is doing to all of us. What is the global situation doing to me personally? It makes me helpless, powerless, sometimes desperate, angry, shaking my head and often speechless. Will we only meet each other with masks in the future? And will we only hug each other in secret when no one can see? And if I sneeze in the store, will I receive disapproving and fearful looks from all sides? Are the children warned not to touch each other?
How grateful I am to be able to live out here in the forest. Air to breathe, space to stretch out. What a luxury in this day and age. Space for my own thoughts. Without discussions or comments. Thoughts are free, as the saying once went. And what is it like today?
I wish everyone a wonderful fall and trust that next year many people will once again be able to enjoy the magic and tranquility of the RelaxRanch. Give yourselves a big hug.
Sincerely, Your Ilvy