Social Distancing Part 22

April 24th - Friday

Well, it has begun. Protests from people who don't want to stay home any more. People who - understandably - want to go back to work because they have bills to pay, and there will only be more. People who feel like those who want to stay home should, but everyone else should just be able to do what they want.

Ultimately, if you want to go out, you will. You may get harrassed, depending on where you live, but I think mostly, you'll be left alone. Oh, you won't go scott free breaking into stores, but if you want to wander around Walmart for hours, knock yourself out. Find a grassy park and park your butt there... at least until the cops chase you off. Find a remote piece of desert, and enjoy. There are plenty out there.

I was reading a social media post about a man who complained and protested about the social distancing, and stay home measures. He felt that if he wanted to take the chance to get the virus, he should be allowed to. Guess what, he got the virus, and died. His wife said that he didn't understand how serious it was. If he were alive today, he would stay home, and not protest. I feel like the only thing that would make him understand it was to go through it himself. The news didn't make him understand. The emergency measures didn't make him understand. The experts - if he was willing to listen/hear them - didn't make him understand. Only experience would make him understand. Sadly, that meant his death, but perhaps now his family understands. Can they help others understand? There are so many people like him, who don't understand the seriousness of the situation until it becomes personal, and by then, it can be too late.

OK, I get antsy. I would like my life to return to its normal. But I don't have to experience COVID 19 to believe that it is serious. Since my husband is an "essential worker" I might have to have that personal encounter. One of his co-workers tested positive. It is not a person he works with all the time, but a dayshift colleague while he works nights. But someone he speaks to at shift change, and works in the room where that person works. When the person was confirmed positive, the company had that work are professionally cleaned, and the people who had the closest contact are now self quarantining. But my husband is at work. I've asked him to wear a mask. I've made masks for him, and his co-workers, to wear. And I will wait with a little more stress than normal until the incubation period is over to see if anyone else there becomes ill. To see if he becomes ill.

My good friend, who lives in Arizona is going with her family "to the lake" where they enjoy a day on their boat, playing in the water. It should be a good day for them, in the sun, and the heat, and far away from other groups to be appropriately socially distanced. I'm kind of jealous, because my RV is sitting out in the driveway, and I want to take it out. Anywhere. But our state parks are still closed. And I will not go use them anyway, at this point. At this point where the non-believers don't think anything can possibly hurt them. My friend, by the way, is not a non-believer. She works in the health field. She knows it is serious, and if she didn't feel they could enjoy the lake safely, she wouldn't go.

Next week is my birthday. I'm not much of a celebrator, but I usually like to meet my friends and family somewhere to celebrate with a meal together. That won't happen this year, and I will miss it. I missed doing that with another friend, when it was her birthday this week. And it's my 60th. That decade landmark. I wasn't feeling too happy about it before all this. And now, well, I guess even more low-key isn't exactly a disaster.

It's rather a stress-issue post, and I would rather be more positive. But there are stress issues. And I know people are feeling pressures that make them want to pressure "the system," and take more "control" of their situations. I will take control by hunkering down longer. Perhaps past the current stay-home-until date of May 15. If it stays May 15th. I will be hopeful if some businesses get to open up with safety guidelines. There is already more traffic out there than there was. But an infectious disease will be glad to meet those people. At least some of them, and it won't be pretty. And even that won't be the last wave of it, either. I don't know, honestly, when I'll feel like it is safe out there...