Moments That Matter

I first heard of Mandy Ord's book When One Person Dies the Whole World is Over when it was longlisted for the 2020 Stella Prize. I was intrigued by the idea of a year-long diary in the form of a four-panel comic book so picked it up at my local library.

Each day Ord captures snapshots of life - walking her dog Lou, dining out with her partner Jodhi, working at one of her various jobs, watching RuPaul or The Walking Dead while lying on the sofa. In doing so she reveals the little moments so often taken for granted - sunsets, afternoon naps, a favourite song on the radio. She also shares the frustration of traffic jams, the challenge of grumpy customers and the daily grind of many workplaces.

Relationships are essential and Ord lovingly depicts her visits with Grandma, her talks with her sister in Scotland, the trips to see her dad in Sydney, and nights out catching up with friends at various Melbourne cafes and restaurants.

Despite the seeming simplicity of the format, Ord has a lot of important things to say about the casualisation of labour, the necessity of those working in caring professions (one of her many jobs is as a disability support worker), and ageing. Her diary shows how she tries to balance her many jobs and her work as an illustrator and teacher of comic artistry.

I loved Ord's monochrome illustrations - with the thought bubbles and side notes. In reading this book I felt I came to know the author personally and really care about what happened to her.

Reading this book during COVID-19, when the world seems so very small, is a timely reminder to seek out the beauty and joy in the everyday.