I’ll do it. I’ll say the words we’re all thinking – right now, the world is a pretty strange place. If I contemplate our current situation too hard, I get teary-eyed and my mind begins to run a million miles a minute. Thinking about the present is sad and thinking about the future is downright scary.

What does that leave for me to think about? The past, of course!

The COVID-19 pandemic might have put a damper on my social life, but it’s done wonders for my television habits. I’m finally catching up on TV shows that ended years ago and re-watching some of my favorite movies. It’s a small silver lining, but it’s one I’m thankful for. 

My TV chosen show at the moment is the long-finished “Downton Abbey.” It’s a British television show that follows the day-to-day lives of an aristocratic British family and the servants they employ.

The show takes place between the years of 1912 and 1926, a time period that makes it easy for viewers to lose themselves in the story. It’s calming to lose myself in the trials and tribulations of their fictional, historic world and ignore the crazy things happening in real life. Why think about the present when instead you can worry about whether or not Cousin Crawley is dressed appropriately for a dinner party, or ponder how Lady Sybil’s latest risky life choice will pan out?

Greta Gerwig’s brilliantly directed film “Little Women” has had similar effects. The film tells the tale of Louisa May Alcott’s classic novel, which follows the lives of the four March sisters from childhood to adulthood in the Civil War era.

The costuming is immaculate, and the score ridiculously catchy and soothing. I’ve immersed myself so deeply in “Little Women” lately that a few days ago my younger sister and I dressed up in almost-accurate period clothing and spent the afternoon quoting Jo, the main character. It was a much-needed distraction, and an all-around good time. 

It seems to me that I’m certainly not the only person in the world that has developed a sudden addiction to period dramas. All over Twitter, there are threads of people re-watching films like “Pride and Prejudice,” and shows like “Upstairs Downstairs.” Society has apparently decided that sometimes, it is actually perfectly appropriate to be stuck in the past.

And I respect that decision. The outfits are fun, OK?