The Pandemic on the News
When I was told I would be teleworking from home, I thought it would be for two weeks. Little did I know how long this would last. I wear a mask and keep myself physically distant from others (what’s social about distancing?). Other than these precautions, the reality of the pandemic and protests for me came from radio and internet news. I thank God for keeping me safe from direct experience of Covid-19.
The closest I came to a protest was my participation in Prayer Walk 2020, The Return and the 2020 As One Rally. I'm impressed that so many people care about the United States that they came from all over to pray for victims of Covid-19, those who last work and the doctors, nurses, and other front line workers. People also asked God in prayer for his forgiveness of all the evil things we Americans have committed throughout our history.
Later, I watched the murder of George Floyd by that evil policeman. I was very angry about that and the others who were killed by the police. I agree with the peaceful protests for Black Lives Matter but see the riots as lawlessness similar to the lawless acts of rogue cops who shot black people.
The biggest life change for me is being at home seven days a week. I spend a lot of time in front of a computer screen working in the house. Frequently my eyes begin to ache. It’s hard to get away from tasks that I become deeply involved in. Sometimes I experience loneliness and depression. Beginning in July, I gained some relief from working at home—I went into work two days every other week. This is my “new normal.”
My greatest memory of being quarantined at home is the loneliness and quiet in the house. I live alone. Fortunately, I met with several friends several times a week. We wore masks and stayed physically distanced. One guy I go walking with and another friend comes over once a week for a session of a video course. Three of these friends came over for Thanksgiving. Usually I went to visit family but this year held Thanksgiving dinner, prepared by Denny’s, at my house. I’m not much of a cook.
The view I had of my community became more focused on the plight of some residents and the help given them by others. I gained more compassion for those families losing loved ones and income. I have some friends who have been out of work since March, giving me a personal view of the unemployed. I’m thankful I am still working and can hire for odd jobs and supply financial aid for some people out of work. I’ve also increased praying for them.
Face masks and radios are the objects that remind me most of the pandemic. I wore bandanas folded into masks, cloth masks of various designs and the ubiquitous blue surgical masks. Listening to the radio connected me to the changing effects of the Covid-19 virus on. This is how I experienced the victims of the pandemic. I did not meet anyone who had the virus or lost a friend or family member until November.
As we moved into 2021, I figured life would not change much. My routine would stay the same. I did have great hope for the development and distribution of vaccines, more financial help from the Federal Government and continued experience of the pandemic through radio and internet news.
