After three days in a row that have been, perhaps not violations of the principles of social distancing, but still social. I have a complaint. I find that I am not withdrawn enough.
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| social distancing in the neighborhood |
We live in a neighborhood that is populated by decent friendly folks. Many are of a common age, older, retired folk. Separately, yet together, we have been diligently practicing social distancing.
As parks and recreation areas have shut down, more and more are showing up on the streets of our community to exercise. We live in a beautiful mountain environment and we are accustomed to walking, hiking, and doing outdoor activities. Our generation, known as "baby boomers" grew up after World War II and benefited from a growing global economy and youthful exuberance. We are idealistic and used to a certain level of success. We have shared that success and expanded both the notion of, and the size of, a middle class. We are gregarious and often like-minded. We find ourselves greeting our neighbors more often than usual and becoming more and more familiar with each other. We see each other every day and sometimes have multiple encounters during the course of the day.
It is not unusual to find several people standing around in the middle of the street, maintaining "social distancing" and conversing about our common goal of defending against the threat of the COVID-19 Pandemic. There is the constant talk about how our political leadership might be botching the fight, how the strategy has been inconsistent, and what might happen next. We are discussing how to make masks that will protect us from any transfer of the coronavirus. We talk about our strategies for procuring fresh fruits and vegetables. The topic of toilet paper doesn't seem to be coming up everyday though. That's a good thing.
My complaint, therefore, is that I'm not having the right kind of distraction, or that there isn't enough distraction. My intention in writing this journal has been to document how we pass the time, how we are managing while hunkered down while a defense against the COVID-19 pathogen is developed and implemented. This is expected to be a lengthy process that includes not just our peers, but everyone of us worldwide. We are all concerned.
Statistics
The statistical measures that we see each day remain crude. Testing globally has been inconsistent at best, which hampers analysis. The statistics are compelling, but not telling us what we want to know. They are, however, the only measure that we have. They are what we know, for what they are worth.
The average person, more than likely, would like to learn more about what is happening around them, and around the world. More about what life is like in the "hot spots," and where the stress is greatest. People want to empathize with others, it's simply human. Some may want to gloat and make themselves feel good at the other's expense, but for most it would be simple human interest. We care about our humanity and want others to be comfortable and get by as we are. For the downtrodden, most just want to be able to live like the rest of humanity, with security and free of trouble.
Unfortunately, the coronavirus is trouble. And it is trouble for all.
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| Confirmed Cases (per capita) |
Meanwhile, Back in Kathmandu
My virtual travel, revisiting a trip to India and Nepal from more than two decades ago, seems all the more distracting after reading this article about people who have been stranded during this Pandemic. It is even worse when people think that the stranded foreigners are the ones who brought them the coronavirus.
Read:
- “StrandedAbroad, Americans Ask: Why Weren’t We Warned Sooner?”
by Kai Schultz and Bhadra Sharma, NY Times, April 3, 2020
Listen:
The virtual trip to Kathmandu continues next post . . .
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