Just Like That, Everything Changes
Waking Up to the Reality That We’re in a Pandemic
Hunkering Down
Just like that, everything changes. I was supposed to be going in to the periodontist this morning for a procedure. I cancelled it. I was supposed to go into work after the periodontist. I’m calling in to the meetings I was supposed to be attending. I will be teleworking from home for the foreseeable future, until this whole thing blows over. I won’t be attending any 12 Step meetings for awhile. I was supposed to be celebrating 40 years next Thursday. I won’t be there.
We are just on the cusp of this coronavirus taking off into unprecedented territory. The reality of it all really hit home this week — just these past two days!
It’s hard to be believe that just two days ago, I was speaking at the memorial service for a fellow who worked for me, and shaking dozens of hands of mourners as they filed past me on their way out of the church, thanking me for my words. What was I thinking?
I won’t be going anywhere where people gather, probably for the next several weeks. This isn’t caving into fear — this is waking up to reality. The city where I work, Washington, DC, declared a state of emergency yesterday. The NBA has cancelled its season. The World Health Organization has declared it is a pandemic. I don’t need any more data to know, it’s time to stay home.
I fall into a couple of at-risk categories — I’m 65 and I have asthma. I can’t afford to get this virus. My wife has had pneumonia twice, so I really can’t afford to get it and carry it to her.
This won’t be easy for me. I am an off-the-charts extrovert. I get a lot of energy from being around other people. I’m a people-person. Fortunately, I am also a writer who hasn’t had enough time to write like I would like to, for a while now. I’m a walker who hasn’t had enough time to take the long walks I love to take. I have a swim-spa out back that I haven’t found much time to swim in recently. So, I’ll be writing, walking and swimming a lot more. There’s also the phone, and on-line meetings.
Yes, just like that, everything changes. I’m good with it. I’ll do what I know I have to do, and make the most of what there is to do while we’re hunkered down, doing our best not to catch this virus, and to not help to spread it.
