When I last wrote, the world was a whole different place, wasn’t it?  We had heard the term pandemic. It wasn’t like we were totally in the dark over it. This was something that happens in Hollywood movies. Where’s Matt Damon or the zombies? It pretty much has played out like a movie in some ways.

1. It starts somewhere that isn’t in America
2. It’s not where we are. Pay not attention.
3. One guy is in the hospital and they are not sure
4. One person has died, but it’s no big deal. They had other health issues
5. It’s only old people. That and cancer patients, diabetics, autoimmune diseases, and transplant folks
6.  People are getting really sick. This seems weird. How many rolls of toilet paper do you need for the apocalypse
7. I can’t find Lysol wipes, TP, hamburger, bread, snow skis, a ukelele, and snow tires.
8. This is serious, we all should stay home
9. This is the government. You will all stay at home unless you are essential. ***Note, 90% of you are now essential
10. 6 ft distance from others. Unless they breathe, have a heartbeat, or its Spring Break
11. Our state is closed and we don’t have enough respirators, hospital beds, doctors, nurses, or baked potatoes
12. Pandamonium replaces the pandemic. While 1.5% are dying, people look at this as though 95% will die. Except for 5% of the assholes who disrespect the whole process and most likely infect the rest of us. Think of the guy who goes to Mexico and does drink the water

So what does all this mean? If you are old enough to remember 9/11, you will recall that within the first week afterward, the American Flag was sold out. Everyone loved America and would tell you that this was not going to change them. The terrorists were not going to win. If you are totally honest with yourself, did you look at those of Middle Eastern heritage differently? Did you rethink how you went about doing things? How you traveled? Many people will tell you no. I can’t say that and be truthful. I am not the same person because of that day. I don’t look at things the same and I surely don’t do the things I used to with such reckless abandon as before.

This worries me given the reaction of our populous in America. While this disease is truly deadly and has caused a devastating loss, it is just as important to look at things from another angle. Out of 100 people who would get this, it’s about 1.5 of them who would pass away. Yet when the run on goods started, people began grabbing everything they could think of to prepare. What does toilet paper do to help prevent a disease that causes respiratory problems? Anyone stop to think of that? If this was the end of the world, toilet paper becomes the most needed item? People worry that the standard of gold is not adhered to. It used to be that money could only be in circulation for the amount of gold that America had in its reserves. But that was eventually stopped. It was a point to not devalue the currency. But if you are in a drought and no rain for like 4 years, what’s the price for a big shiny rock? How about a gallon of spring water?

All of this has done more to shake any faith I had left in humanity more than anything else. Selfishness on a level we have never seen before has occurred. I personally don’t see how the world can unsee such things. It isn’t that good deeds and kindness are dead. It just feels that those who are selfish or afraid will trample those who are willing to help and are level headed. We have no other choice to run with the bulls because if we do not, we will be trampled by the herd.

I pray that lessons are learned from all of this. Those that can be used later on for this or other events that could affect us in this fashion. If we don’t, we have missed a golden opportunity to be better human beings.