It's been over two years since I've blogged on here. What better than the chaos of Covid-19 to bring me back to the keyboard. This won't be a long post, but I do have some things to say and I don't want to rant on social media, but instead leave my thoughts as an option that people can read if they choose to.
The enneagram nine in me HATES how polarizing this outbreak is. Yes, it is real and it is affecting real lives. Yes, it's probably wisest to stay home and stop the virus from spreading as much as possible. No, I don't think we need to panic to the point of hoarding toilet paper, and no, we don't need to shame the people who are not able to self quarantine or social distance themselves for one reason or another. Can't we all just get along?
First of all, my heart goes out to anyone who is impacted by this. Anyone who themselves or a loved one has come into contact or been diagnosed with Covid-19. I am praying for you. If you are immunocompromised in any way and worried about this, your worry is extremely valid and warranted. I am praying for you. I am also extremely grateful for anyone who is a first responder or works in the medical field and puts themselves in danger every single day. I see you. I am thankful for you. I am praying for you.
The part of this whole saga, that if I'm being completely honest, frustrates me to the point of tears sometimes, is the shaming of those of us who have to go to work by those who are able to stay home at this point. The truth of the matter is, I would stay home if I could. Not because I live in fear, but to protect those who are compromised and to help stop the spread of the virus. The reality is that I simply cannot afford to stay home. As a person who barely makes it by from month to month, I would not survive if I had to go weeks or months without a paycheck. I understand the reality and the severity of the situation that our world is in right now. However, we need to be helping each other as best as we can, not shaming people who are not able to help in the way that you are able to.
What am I doing to help? Every day that I went to work this last week, I was faced with customers in hysteria. The very people who hoarded all the toilet paper (which I still don't understand) and cleared the shelves of all cleaning supplies, medication, and food, are the people I came into contact with every day. Often these people were stressed and not very polite or nice as they were trying to find things they deemed necessary and waited in long lines to purchase cartfulls of "necessities." I washed my hands a lot. I sanitized areas often. I kept a safe distance when I could. And when I wasn't working and didn't absolutely have to be somewhere, I stayed home.
I'm doing the best I can, but I can't sit silently anymore and let people be shamed who are trying to do all that they can do. So while you are keeping a safe distance at home, I applaud you. If you have to go to work to provide for you and/or your family, I applaud you. And until you can afford to pay mine and others bills and expenses that they'd be missing out on by not working, please stop shaming people for whom have no other option than to live differently than you.
