Ted. The current worldwide health crisis is the first big test for the life style that Judy and I adopted three years ago. No, we are not sick but yes, we are affected by all of the changes that are occurring around us.
For starters, we have learned a lot from watching two CNN Town Hall Meetings about the coronavirus. You can still stream them at CNN.com. [As an aside, our son, who works for CNN, did the design work for the specials.]
We also just received an email from a long time Servas friend of our who told us about life today in Turin, Italy. Her warning to us and all Americans is to take the virus very seriously.
Sitting on the porch of our cabin on a ranch in the Texas Hill Country, it is easy to imagine that the cares of the world are far away. A trip to the grocery store quickly brings us back to reality. Our little corner of Texas, like the rest of the world, is in full blown panic mode. Is it justified? Time will tell. Is our world changing? Unquestionably. Like everyone else on the planet, we are in a “Wait and See” mode.
Short term, we are making some adjustments. On next Tuesday, we had planned to fly from San Antonio to Albuquerque, New Mexico for the next leg of our Southwest US adventure. We have now cancelled the flight and will rent a car and drive there. When we arrive, we will follow social distancing guidelines and not go out of our way to meet new folks (church, volunteering and Servas being our usual methods). Many museums and galleries may be closed and concerts and plays are being cancelled so there will be time for walks, books and puzzles. With March Madness (college basketball championship) cancelled and baseball postponed, I’ll be watching more Netflix and less sports. But these are all minor problems.
We are witnessing a planetary paradigm shift that is surpassing 9/11 and the 2008 financial crisis. When it is over, I think our country, and the rest of the world will be stronger. We are all adopting healthier habits, like proper hand washing. Teachers will learn how to teach remotely and more companies will explore remote working. Businesses will expand their supply sources to decrease dependence on a single country (Ikea being a leader at this).
Will we be going to Europe this summer? Will our family gather for my Dad’s 90th birthday celebration? Will we, our friends or family members get sick? The answer to most questions is…”Wait and See.”
By the way, we always enjoy hearing from folks who choose to read our blog. If you would like to share how you and/or your community are dealing with the coronavirus, you can use the "Contact US" block on the right side of our home page.
 |
| Our cabin in the Texas Hill Country |
No comments:
Post a Comment