Standing Guard
Right now and for the foreseeable future, I think that we may all want to be extra careful about things. Not just about our physical health. We also need to protect our minds from Fear.
We need to seek and find as much calm and strength as possible. I generally find that in my family, my friends, and my colleagues (not always in that order).
Maybe we can team up with our friends and family and take turns watching and staying on top of the news (standing guard, so to speak). In return we could update our friends when it’s our turn to watch for them. People could take a day or two off from watching incessant news programs, and have their friends update them during their “off media” days. This way we are not constantly exposed to the news but keep up with important updates. Or limit news to only morning and evening. One way or another I think we need to limit our intake because the news is not there to keep us healthy – it’s there to get ratings.
So I am going to try my best to keep calm, control fear, and be more tolerant. People dealing with fear need special attention. I have learned, in the past few days, it is not always easy to give everyone the kind of attention they need, when they need it.
We should also remember to be vigilant about protecting our freedoms and our civil rights. Now, with the justified but sudden loss of many liberties (in the name of the greater good), unprecedented curfews and public business closings are quickly shifting us into uncharted territory worldwide (except as previously enacted in sci-fi movies).
Enough of us are sci fi buffs to know where this goes. The pandemic causes massive controls to be implemented. Curfews, closings, and most importantly the loss of the freedom to congregate.
I need to be clear. I am 100 percent in agreement with getting this done to prevent spreading illness, but we must remember at some point to reverse these controls and get our rights back when the strict policies have accomplished their goal. We need to stay aware, keep talking and be diligent.
Trying to look on the bright side, this is probably going to be the most continuous uninterrupted family together time I have had in a long time. That is my personal silver lining. I have my youngest daughter home from High School. Today was her first day of online school. I feel for her because it is Junior year and she was finally getting comfortable there. I just hope this time can be a positive learning experience. Under the circumstances we all have to stay positive and find ways to help other people do that too.
Perhaps I will become a really good cook now that going to restaurants is out of the question.
I cooked 4 meals this week: Pasta with Meat Sauce and Garlic Bread, Shepards pie, Steak with Broccoli and Rice, and I opened and cooked a package of Instant Organic Ramen soup (which was the easiest & by far my favorite).
I heated up leftovers last night.
Becoming a good cook is probably a bad idea.
Now that I am thinking about it, I may be better off helping the restaurant across the street launch a home delivery service.
Today I will hold an entire day’s worth of company meetings remotely.
I am planning to see if anyone is open to giving me a day or two off from watching the news.
