In previous wars, much was asked of people.  Arm up, hit the front lines, shoot and be shot at.  For those not “off to war,” the mission was clear:  protect the home, the children, and keep home together so that when war was done, those fighting it elsewhere had a home to return to.  Many sacrifices were made on all fronts.  Many paid with blood and treasure.

We are now fighting a different kind of war.  One in which we’re asked to “stay at home,” to “socially distance from others,” and to “wash hands, cover sneezes and coughs,” and to not clog up hospitals and doctor’s offices for testing to see if we’re infected when we’re exhibiting no symptoms.

As wars go, while not diminishing the challenges presented with the “15 Days to Slow the Spread,” the sacrifices in this type of war are easier on us mentally, physically and spiritually than in other wars.

Last night, I saw an awful lot of whining on social media.  From “I’m bored” to “I hate being under house arrest” to complaints of missing friends and even one griping that the virus made her equal to others when she was accustomed to preferential treatment. 

And then I spotted what I consider a perspective changer.  A young woman posting that if she couldn’t have a funeral for her grandmother, others could stay off boats and the beaches.

It’s difficult to imagine anyone defying the 15 Days to Slow the Spread to go boating or to the beach.  The logic in that decision, honestly, escapes me.  Who puts themselves in a situation where they don’t know who is nearby, how seriously those people have taking the self-preservation instructions, or how cavalier they are about who else they could infect? 

With more data now available, we know it isn’t just seniors or those with underlying medical conditions who get sick.  There’s a 6-year-old boy here with it.  40% in ICU were between 20-54.  Everyone is vulnerable, so everyone needs to do their part—for themselves and for others.

As wars go, we’re being asked to do very little.  I’ll post the instructions below for those who haven’t seen them.  It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out just how important these things are.  Simply put:

If you reduce the number of people exposed, you reduce the number who get infected and then infect others.  The virus dies off sooner and we all get back to living our normal lives.  Don’t slow the spread and the virus thrives and more and more get sick and make others sick.  The longer the virus thrives, the more people and businesses are impacted.  Eventually it will die out, but we’ll have a lot of unnecessary deaths—people and businesses—and getting back to normal will take a lot longer because much more of what was normal is destroyed.

So there’s the choice:  buckle down for a couple weeks and beat this thing.  Businesses remain intact, jobs remain intact and waiting, and normal life remains more closely intact than not.

Don’t buckle down and beat this thing quickly, and everything changes.  Businesses go down, so there are fewer jobs to go back to. Personal challenges get bigger—rent, utilities and personal wealth take bigger hits.  And when “normal” life returns, it’s a lot different than it was and it takes a whole lot longer to rebuild a new normal life.

This is an easy choice.  Sacrifice a little now or a lot later. 

We can all do our part.  Stay home. Stay away from others.  Enjoy your power and water and heat and cooling.  Enjoy your electronic devices, your food supply, your comforts of home.

Be grateful that no one is shooting at you, and you aren’t having to shoot at others. 

I have to tell you.  I’ve watched what the government is doing with a jaundiced eye, and I’m incredibly impressed with the creativity and speed with which it has moved.  Common sense measures are ruling the day, and priority is being given to people and workers and protecting their jobs.  Do you realize how significant that is to when this virus passes?  Having jobs to return to?  We’ll roar back to normal, not be forced to crawl from the ground up in rebuilding because our businesses who employ us are gone.

I’m watching businesses and how they’re voluntarily stepping forward to retool their manufacturing and produce what we need right now.  Like the one yesterday who is delivering thousands of gallons of hand sanitizer to New York.  A car plant retooling to produce ventilators.  Another making masks and gowns and gloves.  It’s an awesome thing to see business and government working together to meet the needs of the people.

To be honest, I’m a little miffed at what happened in the Senate yesterday.  Republicans and Democrats negotiated a week on a deal to relieve people and businesses (keeping them intact means we have jobs to return to), coming to an agreement, then the Speaker of the House flies in with what was described as a “wish list” and blows up the deal.  This isn’t the time for political games or for unrelated issues.  I hope today they will get back to business and take care of the people’s needs.  If not, it is incumbent on us all to take names of those playing political games with our lives and to vote accordingly.

We’ve got tough times ahead, especially for the next few weeks, but there are definitely reasons to be hopeful and calm.  And there is every reason to follow the recommendations to slow the 15-day spread.  We’re in Day 8.  We don’t know if 15 days will be enough, but we’ve reason to remain hopeful.

So, like in wars of those who fought before, we need to stop griping, whining and complaining, and do our part.  We need to adopt an attitude of gratitude that we’re not dodging bullets or firing them.

These are the times that build character.  Where we discover who we are and what most matters to us.  Let us all be strong and choose wisely.  Our future depends on it.

WHAT TO DO DURING THE STAY AT HOME

1. If you see or hear of price gouging, report it to that state’s Attorney General’s office.

2. If you know someone who is living paycheck to paycheck and you can help them, do it.

3. If a grocery store in your area has a supply of needed basic items, get on a neighborhood watch group and let your neighbors know.

4. If there are elderly or fragile in your neighborhood, phone check on them to see if they need anything from the pharmacy or grocery store.

5. If you’re cutting your grass and the neighbor’s needs it and you know they have health issues, cut theirs too, so they can stay in and guard their health.

6. Be thankful. Grateful.  Let those who are putting themselves at risk to assist others know their sacrifices are appreciated.  Medical professionals and health care workers all, first responders and police officers and firemen.  But also the folks stocking the grocery shelves, driving the supplies to the stores, delivering mail and packages.

A note on that.  Truck drivers can’t drive their rigs through drive-in windows.  And they can’t get served walking up to a drive thru window.  So if you see a trucker at a drive-thru, ask if they need food ordered and do it for them. 

7. Get creative. If you see people in need, think outside the box on how those needs can be met.

This is a time to help one another. To pray for one another—all of us.  This is a humanity issue, not a political issue. 

Every night at 8 PM, people around the world are praying for all the people of the world. In gratitude to specific groups of people.  Join in.  Make it a family event.

Here’s the 15-Days to Slow the Spread: 

https://www.whitehouse.gov/articles/15-days-slow-spread/

I posted the link because the guidelines are updated as warranted. This way, you’ll have the latest information.

Be well, be strong.  Be blessed!

Vicki