What I have learned during COVID-19

People are complex. Personally, I have gone through a gamut of emotions over the past few months. First, when word of the "virus" hit, I treated it like I have with most things like this in my life. Something that has been categorized as possible health scare, I normally respond like this: Corona virus sounds bad, well, it can't happen here. Of course, I was speaking really from a small town mindset when I said it. I mean I am used to being protected or at least insulated from most things that effect populous locations because of where I grew up and then raised my family. In middle America you always think to yourself that this can't touch you and that you live far enough away from each coast that by the time it reaches you it will be dissipated.

In middle America you always think to yourself that this can't touch you and that you live far enough away from each coast that by the time it reaches you it will be dissipated.

I forgot however that I no longer lived in middle America and that I was actually living in the nations 5th largest city and working at the nations largest public university. So, as my colleagues began spraying down the office with Lysol and wiping down desks and computer stations and word began to make way that I might not be traveling to the East coast for the conference I had been looking forward to, I started to think, hey this whole Corona Virus thing might be real.

I made it just under the wire on my travel plans to Philadelphia for work and once there, the conference went on as planned but added hand sanitizing stations to it's venue and gave instructions to attendees that handshaking should be avoided if possible. At the time this was the only thing I could see that had changed from the year before, so I began to lessen my anxiousness about the virus. I went on about my business trip as planned, played a bit of the tourist, rubbed elbows with hundreds maybe even thousands of people on the streets, in public markets and sight seeing stops. I even allowed a homeless man to use my camera phone to take pictures of me where Rocky was filmed on the steps in his iconic movies. I didn't think much of it really. I am sure, I didn't wipe it down afterward and probably touched my face at some point that day without sanitizing my hands.

The conference was over and I made my way to Atlanta via plane but noticed on my trip the number people in the airport had dropped significantly. So much so that as I looked around and I saw people in masks and personally sanitizing their seats in the terminals I began to become anxious again as I was heading to see my kids and grand kids in Tennessee. I heard rumor of toilet paper being hoarded and grocery stores having issues keeping some things in stock. Everything was still open, people were still able to be in the businesses with hundreds of people next to one another. We had a family meal in a Mexican Restaurant in Chattanooga TN where there were people waiting outside for seats to open. Everything felt normal so I relaxed again.

We flew home to Phoenix, my wife and I on a half full airplane. We arrived and I found myself once again nervous and anxious as I was told not to come back into work. I had been on the East coast you see and I needed to stay home for at least 14 days. Then my wife was told the same and now that couple of weeks has turned into 75 days since the last time I was in my office.

I have spent these past 75 days on a roller coaster of emotions. I have felt scared for my own safety, my wife's safety, our children and grandchildren, not to mention all of our extended family and their well being. I have been angry at how American's are treating each other because they feel a certain way over this whole thing. I have felt saddened as I have learned of friends family members that have died from COVID and completely flabbergasted as I listen to people who say this is all a hoax knowing full well it's not. I have felt a level of sickness as I have watched people on both sides of the isle use what is happening to real people as simply political fodder. I think actually the feeling I have about this can only be described as shame.

In the end I have tried to do what I can stay positive in the midst of it all. To realize that I am really a recipient of privilege to be able to work from home during this pandemic. My heart aches for everyone that has lost loved ones and jobs during all of this. I hope and pray that one day we can look back on this time and celebrate some things. Like there was a time even if just for a moment, that the sky was more brilliant because there was less smog. That the birds were actually louder because there was less noise and that even hearing the wail of the constant police sirens had dropped off significantly . The fact that families huddled together more. They held on a little tighter because they just didn't know what tomorrow might bring. We fathomed, even if just for a moment, that we could live outside of the commute and that businesses could function at a level remotely that they had never imagined. We learned to appreciate people in the service industry more than ever and we realized how much we all really love sports in our nation.

So I ask you today, can you find it in yourself to cut your fellow man a break? If they feel they need to wear mask, let them. If they say, hey a mask just isn't something I need to do then let it be. We are all working through unprecedented times. We think we know how we should be but in the end we don't. This should cause in us mercy and grace for one another not mistrust and judgement. Don't forget the importance of one another, we are all we have on this earth.

This should cause in us mercy and grace for one another not mistrust and judgement.