July 19, 2020
Today has been the hardest day I’ve had in the midst of everything going on in life. Yesterday I wasn’t feeling well after coming out of 14 days of quarantine, and that was hard. Today I kept trying to fight that feeling, but it didn’t work. My son came over to get dinner because he doesn’t want to chance getting the virus. This is too much! A pandemic, virtual school, social distancing, wear a mask if you go out, and no more than ten people at a gathering. For families who have lost loved ones, they can only have graveside services. Outside contact for loved ones is non-existent while sequestered in nursing homes. Hugs are a thing of the pass. I thought I was embracing the difference, but maybe I’ve been fooling myself.
The saying, “you don’t miss the water until your well runs dry” well, the same holds true for personal contact. I never realized I enjoyed personal contact until touching and hugging became dangerous. I am an only child, so I have always been comfortable with me, myself, and I, but in this pandemic, I realize I miss personal interaction with others. Embracing the difference isn’t as easy as it sounds. It requires significant adjustments, especially as time goes on.
Every day the news reports the coronavirus numbers increasing across the states, deaths are rising from complications with the virus, and the fight for social injustice continues. Friday, two civil rights icons passed, and the saddest part of their deaths is we are still fighting the same fight. John Lewis and C.T. Vivian were legends who non-violently fought for civil rights for all. They left a rich and full legacy for the present-day activists to continue the good fight; now, I need to muster up a bit more fight to embrace the difference.
I’m not sure what the future holds, when or if things will ever reach a point of normalcy, whatever that is. Will they find a cure or vaccine for the coronavirus? Only time will tell. At this point, all I can do is embrace the difference.
BB Davis
