What began as the ubiquitous Christmas letter to include
in our Christmas cards has quickly morphed instead to this, as I found that I
could not avoid the insipid and couldn’t even write a tongue-in-cheek
missive. I was not spreading tidings of
good cheer.
Projections for deaths due to COVID are as high as 500,000
by January and yet there remains a large part of the population who disavows
the virus entirely. Some recognize it,
but claim it is ‘only the flu’. Our
hospitals are crowded and our caregivers over worked and overwhelmed, and still
many deny the urgency. After Governor
Larry Hogan’s speech last week cautioning Marylanders about the risks of travel
and Thanksgiving gatherings, one person left the comment: "I am having 20 people over to my house
on Thursday, so take THAT, Hogie!!"
And while I’d like to think that this spiteful, ignorant individual
is one of only a few, I suspect with all the outrage expressed by having to
wear masks that he is not. Seems
Americans have a horrid case of “you’re not the boss of me” and it is killing
us.
Yes, our country was founded on ideas of independence and individuality. These traits were nurtured by many long after
the last shot of the Revolution was fired, and Bostonians could sip their
untaxed tea. Emerson and Thoreau, for
instance, called for independence from sameness and following the crowd. And while these ideas are crucial to a
burgeoning democracy, and certainly inspirational, right now they are our most
certain demise.
I miss meeting up with our friends. I miss going to restaurants, attending
football games or concerts. I imagine
with inordinate glee walking into a store and shopping regardless of
occupancy. And I adore the idea of being
able to see through my glasses without the fog created by a mask.
This country has endured many challenges, but we’ve always
come together and worked for the common good.
I’m hoping that with actual leadership from a new administration we can
unite to overtake this current threat, but I am frightened and doubtful given the animosity
that has festered for the last four years.
