NOW, MORE THAN EVER
Thursday, Mar. 19 , 2020
Another year of Musings, another season of writing starts today, starts here, starts now. Each year at this time, as spring resumes, the anniversary of writing this column – the 1st day of spring, 17 years ago, when this regimen began. It was Thursday, March 20, 2003 – tanks were rolling into Iraq across its border from Kuwait.
Today no tanks are rolling, but there is a different war going on, a medical war that has taken the world hostage; some of us are experiencing ICU, some have tested positive – and the rest of us are nervous, trying to keep a safe distance from one another for fear we come in contact with an insidious virus.
First day of spring, today – but it hardly feels we’ve said farewell to winter, we’ve been so distracted by COVID-19. We are all in this crisis; most of us without leverage to make much difference in our personal situation, let alone anyone else’s, our world gripped by impending recession, plundered financial markets, and fear-everywhere COVID-19, this is reality gone-viral.
17 years X 365 X plus 4 leap days = 6208 days/columns
Each year, as I embark on another year of daily columns, I ponder whether to continue, what to change, what to add, etc.
This year I plan to ‘continue as usual’ with no plans of change percolating for my process, the website, or distribution tools.
But every day isn’t usual lately. Not just the aging – but the age we are living, and times we are living.
The process likely won’t change – but I know I will. Haven’t we all lately?
My newspaper yesterday revealed the obituary of a friend – ‘MK, Calgary, AB.’ Mike Kerr. I talked to him very recently, within the last ten days. He indicate he was visiting the hospital regularly for treatment of a stubborn leg infection, an insect bite he got on his recent vacation in Mexico. That ‘catching up’ conversation ended with, “Talk to you soon” and good-byes. I had no idea that would be our last.
Events which matter aren’t just the world, a virus, or our community – they involve our friends, family, and colleagues as well as billions of strangers. We are in this life together. While political leaders urge patience and offer optimism about how long this pandemic will last, we must all wonder what is this all about, and when will it end?
What comes next?
What lessons should we learn?
While we are widely and strongly warned to self-isolate and self-distance – what these writings have taught me over 17 years is that connections hold extraordinary value, which should not be discounted. We need more of them, not less. We need more friends, not less. We need more connection that is real as well as virtual, personal as well as in-person, we need each other.
Now, more than ever.
