Friday, March 27, 2020

The View from the Hermitage, Day 12

Today marks a dozen days of social distancing a.k.a. playing hermit. It's clear that today's dozen will become tomorrow's baker's dozen. It's not at all clear, though, how long it might last. A dozen dozen days? Gross! (groan) If the coronavirus behaves in other cities as it has behaved in New York City, we could be in for a very long haul. Will New York City be even more apocalyptic in two weeks? Two weeks after that? Will New Orleans be the next New York City? Will Florida be the next Washington (state)?

A friend's daughter and grandchildren are staying with her here, out in the relative country. The husband/father works in public health in an urban area and didn't want his family there while the coronavirus raged. Better to have his children able to run outside in a yard without the worry of people passing by than to have them locked inside to go crazy. How many other such cases are there around the country? It reminds me of the children's being sent out of London during the Blitz.

 I try not to feel pangs of guilt at being able, thanks to older son and the family finances, to effectively shut off the world. I know people who are not so lucky, some by choice and others not. An emergency room nurse who can't just stay home. The nail technician who works in a shop that has been closed. One risks life if not limb while the other loses her livelihood. What am I risking in these trying times? Not a damned thing!






1 comment:

Janet said...

And so, we don't complain about our restrictions...we who have the comfort of knowing we have a rood over our heads and food to eat. We just hope and pray our families come through this as better people, as well as healthy ones.