In the morning when thou risest unwillingly, let this thought be present—I am rising to the work of a human being. Why then am I dissatisfied if I am going to do the things for which I exist and for which I was brought into the world?

I reflect on Stoic Marcus Aurelius’s advice, during COVID lockdown and quarantine, waiting to reach my dying mother’s bedside. Work consoles me. Explicitly or inferred, it becomes the main subject of COVID conversations over 2020. How will I work? How much should I work? I find myself thinking about lost work / equal work / care work / food work / clean work / safe work / sane work / sex work / creative work / death work.