Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Aching For Sacred Spaces, Arjun Mann

Akesis

This image was made in early 2021, inside a local cafe that was operating takeout-only. It is a space that is very dear to me, one in which I spent countless hours (pre-pandemic) studying and reading, rejuvenating and relaxing with friends.

Recently, as I browsed books while waiting for a latte to-go, this scene caught my eye. The warm light pouring in through a large window fell over my favorite table, marked as "unavailable" by the chairs perched upon it. It would remain, understandably, unavailable for months to come. I was reminded, as I so often am these days, of …