Coronavirus

During my 76 seasons of life, normal has been disrupted many times. The most likely causes dealt with weather related happenings – severe cold temps, huge dumps of snow, violent thunderstorms, windstorms of monumental proportions, etc. – and we remember them well. It made us alter routines. That alone was memorable. The outcomes of such events were rarely disastrous. Yes, some folk suffered loss of home, auto, and temporary unemployment. Sadly, some weather crises cause death as well. But mostly we survived and continued our normal in time.


Severe economic downturns over the years have changed ways of living. Many of us have stories to tell about this. Also, health scares have dotted our experience from time to time. The Tylenol poisoning scare was one; it led to product packaging changes. So much so it is now difficult to open some bottles of pills, or food packages. We even have a strong plastic cutter for some packages!


Of course, there have been the polio scare of the 1950’s, bouts of German Measles, chicken pox, mumps and so forth. Recent years have been witness to strains of flu that have required immunizations to become annual rituals.


Now comes the coronavirus epidemic. It is a pandemic because of its rapid spread across entire nations and whole continents. Jumping oceans to other land masses marks the pandemic stage. We are there.


As I write this blog posting, it is a Saturday. It is 7:30 am. Hardly a car travels the streets and I am downtown in my suburb next to the Metra Station and City Hall and grocery stores. In the midst of a heavy traffic area, there are few people about. At times, none. A little spooky.


This past week I helped some friends with a family health crisis. We were in and out of the hospital daily for 5 days. They remain there. I have stepped away due to exhaustion. However, the hospital remains both an anchor for help in all times of emergencies, but also a contagion arena. Best to remain away if possible.


Doctors, nurses and all the support staff of our local hospitals, of course, work through their shifts to help others. They are our heroes and champions. They are on the front line of the pandemic defense line. Remember them and support them. They need our help.


Meanwhile, we can and should do everything to remain healthy and pandemic free. Wash hands; avoid crowded spaces. Remain home as much as possible. Keep in contact via electronic media. Listen to music, watch TV, and read books.


Re-learning how to relax is a good thing. This pandemic may have happy consequences yet. Just imagine a society calming down and personally at rest. Reading and contemplating never hurt anyone. Maybe we will discover a silver lining to this turn in history?


We can hope. And work for it.


March 16, 2020