3-28-20
10:36 am Saturday
Coronavirus pandemic panic.
People have changed some of their behaviors.
Changing behavior is difficult. What behaviors have changed in myself
and people I know.
We are staying at home more, buying more stuff online, buying more
stuff, keeping away from other people more, working remotely, and
generally more fearful than usual.
Socially distancing is the buzz term for the behavior of trying to
keep coronavirus from spreading. I certainly don’t want to get sick
or make others sick. I am concerned about my mom getting sick, but she is in good health so I believe she could
survive getting sick.
I understand that hospitals everywhere can only handle fairly small
increases of patients and a county, state, country or world wide illness can overwhelm this
system and this rippling out can cause suffering unrelated to cases of
coronavirus. What I am concerned about is what is the price we pay for these changes. What suffering and death do we
cause by socially distancing. I see the numbers of suffering and
death that this virus is causing. I don’t see the numbers on suffering and death that the possible cure is causing. I
believe intent is key.
I brought my mother up to say with us not because I could stop her
getting infected by living with us. Shuna continues to work as a vet
where she can not practice social distancing effectively. Eric who is
helping work on our house continues to go out into the world daily and
can not practice social distancing effectively. So I am not
preventing my mother from getting this virus. My reason for bringing
her here is because we could care for her if she got sick. So my
intent to care for and love my mother is what I can offer. I can try to
be thoughtful to avoid her getting sick, but I can not prevent her
from getting sick in our current home, yet I can care for her.
If this virus were more deadly, I would take every step necessary to
protect my family. I am not sure what it would mean to protect my
family in that situation.
The numbers of mortality worldwide do not indicate this level of threat.
I am not sure how one addresses the issue of suffering. Should I try
to prevent it or should I try to ease suffering. I believe it is a
gray issue. I don’t believe we have much control over these dynamics
of suffering. I am very concerned as the global populations change its behavior does it bring hope and light into the world
or is it bringing darkness. To go back to the idea of changing
behavior and how difficult it is.
So what is the special sauce that is causing people to change their behavior.
I don’t believe that fear is the main catalyst to people changing. I
believe it is people collectively believing they should change. I don’t know exactly how
it is happening but it is. I believe this sea change is extremely noteworthy and should
be observed very closely. We do matter, what we do does make a
difference. Is this the difference we want to make as we collectively
are being pulled down this path and I want to resist it? It is not in
line with my values. I will continue to try to exert my will as best
I can, I am not exactly sure what this means or how to exert my
will.
I believe Western Culture is enthralled with the expansive horizon
that all is getting better, faster, smarter, easier. This is
wonderful in many ways. We are understanding details of how things
work more and more, believing we can understand everything, solving
all, that we can beat this virus, beat death itself.
I want to live, I want to encourage life and hope, but does this virus
have a right to be, too?
Does fearing to the point we become blinded and bent to this dark sun
cultivate the collective vineyard of a peculiar and heinous fruit?
When our children drink deeply of this vintage, what will their response
be? It is to be seen.
I believe we are working towards the light and doing our best. There
is so much to be thankful for.
I know my wife and many many others put themselves at risk by being active during this pandemic and I thank you Shuna and the
rest of you to have this courage, to love and shed light into this
fog. I hope I can remember what I am seeing, I will see it again and
I hope I can have courage when embraced by fear and I hope I
don’t submit to the soul robbing terror of complete panic. I hope I
will continue to try and will encourage others to do so too. We matter, what we do matters.
I am thankful for this opportunity.