Covid-19 is what some call it. Others use Coronavirus. It's apparently a nasty little bugger that is 10x worse than the flu. It came to the U.S. Why wouldn't it? We are the epicenter of the world. It was bound to happen. China is closed. The virus apparently started there. Italy is closed. France and Spain have enacted restrictions as well. As of today, America is pretty much closed as well. Disney World/Land both closed until April. State Universities closed until April as well and just yesterday, our own school system - closed until further notice. Do I think my kids and I could hang with this virus and beat it? Sure do. But do I want to pass it on to my mother and father who would surely die from it. NOPE. And so for the first time since World War II, even the Masters Golf tournament has been delayed. I never thought I'd see the day. There's a weird ominous feeling hovering around right now. We are being given work to take home for our children to do and "distance learning" is being put in place. In addition to working and campaigning, I now have to be a teacher. The boys don't understand. They say they want to see their friends. I'm not sure if I understand either since no one I know has had the virus. Alas, we rely on this government to be the seers of the big pictures. They are the ones with allllll the information. They are doing what they think is best. I like to follow rules so when I'm told, don't have gatherings of 50 or more people. When my CHURCH closes for fear of spreading germs. I'm slightly scared. If I go to a restaurant, will I be looked on as a rule-breaker? If I run to the store, will there even be food there for me to buy. Apparently hoarding has become a big problem. People everywhere are preparing for the worst...as if they cannot leave their houses for a month. Should I be doing that? Will it come to that? This invisible virus that I haven't even seen the effects of....will it come here? Maybe its already here and the higher ups know that..and I don't. I feel like I'm in a strange land. We've never been here before. I imagine this displaced feeling may be what war torn countries feel when one day you're running and playing outside, eating dinner with your family and the next, you are wondering if you should even go outside. It's fear. It's the unknown. It's the fact that we are so pampered here and that living in our great country has been so comfortable that generations have had it pretty good with little worries. I think about the women who just last year were strutting around in vagina costumes to demonstrate women's rights and how silly that seems when you're fighting your neighbor for the last roll of toilet paper on the shelf. My friend is the manager at Aldi and she said that this weekend they met their monthly goal in 3 days.....3 DAYS!
There are no vacationers really. No cruising for sure...that's all been cancelled as well until next month. Life will start again in April. Or so they say. Will it? Until further notice is what the schools say. I say - God's got this. He is the comforter in all situations including this one...with God as my Savior...whom shall I fear?
We will roll with these weird touch-less punches. We will not hug or kiss our friends when we greet. We will try not to pick our noses or touch our face; chew our fingernails and most of all we will wash our hands religiously. Well, better than that. Face it, Americans don't put much importance on religions do they?
April is coming and with it, freedom to be.....free. Free to do , to travel, to plan, to look forward to.
Until then I will pause more and keep holding my breath. Then breath a little. Then sigh when its all done.
