the spread of the covid-19 virus in the united states continues, and though, as i wrote in my last post, we have not-too-distant kin who have been infected, for the most part the only effect on our lives has been some minor inconvenience. we can't go out to eat, go to the movies, or attend concerts. we can't attend church activities. we can't travel. otherwise, our lives are much the same as they were before the virus struck. we are very fortunate. our children have jobs that allow them to work from home, and so far they don't have to worry about their income being cut off. my wife and i have pensions that seem to be on solid financial grounds despite the drop in the financial markets, so our income seems assured. we are fearful each time we must go out to buy groceries and take extra precautions when handling the items we've bought. other than that, we are largely unaffected by this pandemic.
so many millions of others are not so fortunate. in addition to the fear of becoming infected, they must figure out how to get by without jobs. suddenly their lives are filled with anxiety about how to keep a roof over their heads and how to feed themselves and their families. they are without health insurance that their now-defunct jobs provided, so they must worry about what will happen if a medical emergency arises. the government has promised help but that help seems to be slow in coming. in the meantime, they must deal with the realities of their situation.
our flourishing economy has ground to a halt. no one knows when it will pick up again. the leadership of the government seems unable to reassure us. recommendations change almost daily. the president holds press briefings that seem more designed to give himself pats on the back and promote his re-election than to inform the american people. what words of comfort he utters are read from a script in a monotone voice that lack sincerity. we listen to state governors who beg for needed supplies for their states' medical professionals, and the president seems more intent on criticizing them that on solving the problem. we watch the stark contrast between the competency of the governor of new york and the ineptness of the president and his administration. we hear facts from national health care experts that are contradicted by the president. we are left worried and afraid. this seems to be a design for even greater disaster than otherwise might have been the case. in the end, it seems to be a survival-of-the-fittest situation when our ability to care for one another should be the focus of our battle against this crisis.
close to home, two charitable organizations in our community are in dire straits because they are dependent on now-shuttered thrift stores they operated to generate income for their work. they are begging our people for donations so they can continue their missions. our state is one of the few that has not adopted stringent shelter-in-place measures, and, as we travel to the grocery store, things seem to be business as usual for the most part. most stores are open. traffic is as busy as ever, except at night. despite our governor's refusal to follow the lead of most of the other governors in the country, the spread of covid-19 in our state has not taken off as it has in neighboring states. perhaps that is because we are a less densely populated state with few metropolitan concentrations of people. if the governor's figures are correct, even with a shelter-in-place order the vast majority of our workers are employed by what would be designated as essential businesses while a smaller, but significant, number of people would be forced to lose their jobs in order to stay at home while their employers close up shop. maybe he has made the right call, but many of us wish he would err on the side of caution and issue the order that might protect our people more.
for the present, we are filled with uncertainty. we are apprehensive as the pandemic sickens and kills more people and the economic toll grows. some of use are little affected by the financial distress caused by the situation and suffer the small inconvenience of restricted activities while we remain in good health. others are devastated by the illness and the loss of income, as well as the social restrictions. we yearn for better direction from our leaders and wish they would show both compassion and the wisdom to rely on science rather than whims and hunches. we want to help those who are suffering so much but there seems little we can do beyond trying to use good judgment so that we remain healthy.
may we quiet our minds and think rationally during this crisis. may we look deep into our hearts for compassionate responses to the suffering we see all around us. may we care for one another. may we communicate with others who may be lonely and fearful in whatever way we can in the age of social distancing. may we be at peace and use our time at home in the most productive ways we can. shalom.
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