What the hell does a commentator comment on when the world’s news media (in English anyway) are totally committed to telling us, ad nauseum, about the world’s trials with a coronavirus and the results of covid-19? Is there a message of hope among all these horrendous statistics? Like the plagues of the Middle Ages, the pandemic knows no barriers of money, or prayers, or position.
Should we soldier on, giving hope and encouragement to our leaders and the front-line medics who are struggling with the virus? There seems to be no glimmer of light yet at the end of the tunnel. If we think this will end soon, we might have other delusions as well. Check with Mr. Trump in Washington. He even lies to himself.
For myself, I am not making plans for a summer holiday this year. I just might have time in the coming months for some of those thick political biographies that I have always promised myself to read.
And my brothers in the U.S., who are American citizens, had better stay healthy. Not only have our governments closed the border to non-essential travel but I have let my Canadian passport expire.
I am having trouble practicing social distancing in my apartment building. We can call out from doorway to doorway and then we can crowd together into a tiny elevator. We are supposed to go down to the front door for all our deliveries but I have not told our self-appointed people policing this policy that the Toronto Star is delivered to my door every day before 5 am.
I think the real problem of this pandemic is that we are in danger of losing the closeness and the caring of those who live in proximity to us. Being a good neighbour is a precious gift that we share everyday. We cannot let fear drive us apart. Whether on our street, our cities or our countries, we need to continue being a good neighbour.
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Copyright 2020 © Peter Lowry
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