I woke up in a panic. The night coated my bedroom walls. My shirt was soaking wet in sweat. I had no idea I could sweat this much! There was a buzzing sound echoing in my ear. A small light flashed repeatedly. Oh, it’s just my phone, I thought. I looked at my clock that read”4:30 am”. Odd… I looked up to see who messaged me, hoping it was not some random quarantine booty call. “DAD” flashed across the screen. There were several missed calls from him. My dad never calls me this late at night. Just as I was calming myself down, there was an unsettling mood creeping into my spirit. I picked up my phone and swiped up. “Sweety, I’ve tried calling you. This is an emergency.” Chills ran from my fingers to my arms. “I don’t know how to say this, but your mom tested positive for the corona virus and has been rushed to the hospital with a 103 degree fever. Honey, we don’t know-” The phone fell. I could not read anymore. Waterworks well up in my eyes. Immediately, my body grew cold and started shaking horribly. An indistinguishable scream erupted from my chest. I cupped my hands around my mouth. I couldn’t recognize me. I was so lost. So…lost…how did this happen? Can I get infected if I go to the hospital? Do I care? I just want to see my mom! Until this, I never expected this virus to show up at my front door staring me in the face.
Fortunately, the above experience is not mine. My mother is fine…but what if she wasn’t? This is a reality for others. This has happened to someone they cared about. Many people did not start taking the corona virus a.k.a. CO-VID 19 seriously until someone they knew had it. Some people recovered…and others did not. I do know people who have it and are battling this virus as we speak. Friends, coworkers…it deeply saddens me as I sit at home right now and think about those who are comfortable enough to tell me what is really going on in their world. It hurts my heart so much as I pray and cry for them because I never want anyone to get hurt. When they hurt, I hurt. I wonder if that’s what it will take for people who are not taking it seriously to really care about what’s going on in the world around them?
Over the course of almost three months, many U.S. states have been authorized a Stay at Home Directive Order. In some places, it’s really being enforced to the point of protest rallies from disgruntled citizens asking why do we have to stay home under these orders? Each state has different numbers of cases and deaths each day, yet this does not phase these “crowd outeries”. There have been published articles or random posts on social media displaying a crowd of people socializing in various states when the majority of America has been given Orders to practice social distancing. Many crowds I have seen in several posts were less than 6 feet apart and enjoying their life. This disturbed me and a lot of people. Once again others are still not listening or adhering to these simple instructions. Sometimes these crowded areas got shut down the same day. Others did not because of the location and kind of people that lived there. Whether poor, rich, or different races…it affects everyone. We keep talking about being with good listeners, but what if you’re the one not listening? As states slowly reopen businesses, this question will remain as the number of infections either diminish or decrease significantly.
When the Bubonic Plague or the “Black Death” hit Europe and other continents, they did not have advanced technology to warn people of the severity of the sickness and countless deaths that affected their community. Europe lost 50-60% of their population in the 14th century. Fast forward, this present time feels like World War II yet I wasn’t alive at that time. We have a disease snatching millions of lives. America has become disheveled. We’re selfish. We take so much for ourselves without thinking of leaving something for others who are also dealing with lack there of. There are other countries who have less than an average American earning $25K a year…yet it’s not enough. We’ve lost loved ones close to us, yet it’s not enough to salvage what we do have. Fresh air. Quiet time. New connections. It’s encouraged you to look ahead in the future and be safe…but are we really looking ahead? This situation is slightly improving, but still out of control.
Stores are still short of essential items like the infamous toilet paper shortage, and there are limits to how much to take from the store because people are hoarding these products. Remember when you had freedom to get as much as you want in abundance? How does it feel to be restricted? People were making funny comments and all, and even mentioning how much they were indulging in liquor versus food. This is all good and well…but what happens when you go to your fridge or cabinet and there is nothing left? No more leftovers, no more liquor to emotionally toil yourselves away or fill your ‘boring’ days…but to just sit there and look at how much you wasted? Practically every state was on curfew until further notice. Whether it has to get worse before it gets better, the sickness is already here. Try to cope as naturally as you can without emotionally overdosing. If that happens, I really pray you can fight through it during this time and have people support and encourage you because this is not easy.
Why does the world not recognize the pattern of recurring pandemics? This is not the first time this has happened, but we were not fast enough to prepare for this spread of sickness and death because we never thought it would come to our turf with such quickness. Ladies and gentlemen, we are not invincible. Every country in this world matters. Second waves of COVID-19 are occurring in other countries, which I hope our country takes note of this in preparation. It’s a hard place to agree as public areas start reopening, but only time will tell in the numbers. Everyone anticipates when we can finally “go outside”. Will this be for the greater or even worse consequences ever? Guaranteed, this new normal will be an adjustment for us millenials as we mask our emotions through funny posts of what to do when we can no longer stay at home. People want to see and greet each other so bad…which I get, but I really am curious to see what people will take from this season? People are so excited to get bae’d up after quarantining…but let’s be real- are they really your forever baes or just quarantine baes after they get their fix?
Even the Bible records plagues and sicknesses that terrorized the land centuries before. I do not care how much people attack the Bible, but please note this also recounts histories of recurring sicknesses that plagued nations because people did not listen. He that hath an ear, let them ear. He that hath an eye, let him read. He that hath a mind, let them think.
Werd Paintings 