Life is so full. Most of us are busier than ever now just trying to keep up with the changes and stay safe – and not just from the virus. Though we’re all struggling with its impact – physical, financial, practical, emotional and psychological, we’re also struggling with the ordinary and daily things we’ve always had to deal with.
Our hands are full, and our hearts may get heavy. Yet, we who still struggle with these things are the lucky ones because we survive, and while we survive our hope lives. Today, despite this world’s hazards and most people also dealing with increasing difficulty in achieving financial stability, we all just keep on trucking. It demonstrates the best of what’s great about the human spirit around the world, and it’s also what creates our wonderful Americans’ quilt.
Today, I learned a new word: hireath. It’s a Welsh word that, when pronounced correctly, even sounds like wisdom. It translates to the longing for that which comes from our past and is no longer part of the world; it’s our life’s memories. Also, today, some of my family posted pictures of Christmases past. They talked about their longing to be with each other, to enjoy our family’s traditions and embrace the family’s newest baby. Our family, in total, hasn’t gathered in person, in over a year.
Next week, America marks a year of quarantine. Since then, many American hugs have been virtual, many parties have been Zoomed, and too much has been sacrificed to the virus. Still, we are the lucky ones, because millions of us have lost far more than moments; we’ve lost loved ones. Yet, we’re blessed to still be here to wrangle with today’s challenges. We hurt and wait and may feel discouraged, but we’re here. We’ll beat this malaise and yearning if we remain smart, true and tough. Our visits may be distanced, masked and brief, but we know just being here is a gift and the perfect reason to remain steadfast.
We also have to accept those who defy sensibility. Recently, I went into a public restaurant for take-out; it’s something we’ve done only six times in the last year. A tall, older gentleman entered without a mask and stood next to me. I overtly turned my full back to him, then removed myself to the back corner of the pickup area. He proceeded to lean his unmasked face over the counter full of pizza, asking the cashier to repeat his total. No employee asked him to cover up. We wonder if these people are making a statement, are oblivious, or simply in denial. Perhaps, the poor chap just forgot his mask in the car. Yet, he made no attempt to cover his face in any way. For anyone who struggles to keep the quarantine rules, it’s disheartening to see what may be apathy or merely the lack of habit.
Whatever the reason, we are over 500,000 dead to date. Of course, we all understand that number may be slightly skewed, and that totally accurate data can’t possibly be assembled on any national scale. Still, we know it’s somewhere in the ballpark, so each of us should continue, if not improve, our self-defense activities because, it does save lives.
With all good intentions and despite everything, we move forward. It’s imperative. It’s all we can do. We steel ourselves and handle all obstacles even while we’re still surrounded by high level stress every day. We rally ourselves, and distraction is vital to survival. We’re phoning friends, and reading and cooking more. We watch more television as it’s fairly innocuous, and programming streams at the continual ready. Of course, Zen is tough to find on the tube as we search for anything that isn’t war, murder, or people behaving badly for cash on reality programming. Thank goodness, there’s public television and a few stations airing programming from America’s past, helping to satisfy our “hireath.” Whatever it takes, we’ve got to do it.
It’s tough for those of us still standing – we all get that, but we are still here. We still work, pick up any scattered pieces, dream on and carry on. We, who still have that blessing called hope … we are the lucky ones.
The best and only way to honor everything that so many have sacrificed so much for is to do all the hard things we must do and survive to dance again.
Hang in there.
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