This Is the Pandemic You Won’t Hear About on the News

What a strange new world.

The rhythms and routines of daily life – once barely noticed – came to a screeching halt a few weeks back. And now the world as we knew it is suspended… indefinitely.

I don’t know about you, but my schedule looks vastly different than it did before March 13, 2020.

Except for showering and sleeping. Well… some days.

(Today is not one of them.)

It’s tough to get your bearings when you can’t see anything but the backyard or balcony. If you don’t have either, I pray for the preservation of your sanity. (Seriously.)

This is our new normal.

Personally, I’d like to get back to the old one. (Maybe with an extra helping of perspective. And heaping sides of gratitude and compassion.)

But I guess that isn’t an option. Not entirely anyway. Because this virus is taking a heavy toll.

I remember how different the world seemed after 9/11. Then – like now – most of us really came together. We cared… gave… grieved. We comforted and consoled.

And we counted the cost.

And here we are… counting again.

59,000 lives lost. (And by the time you finish reading this, it’ll tick even higher.)

That’s a whole lot of bereft families and broken hearts.

And that number doesn’t include the other victims of this crisis. The collateral damage, if you will.

I’m not minimizing the death toll. Not one iota.

But I think maybe it’s time to acknowledge our other losses too. To say it’s ok to feel dazed/ disoriented by the far-reaching effects of this pandemic.

It’s normal to feel discouraged/distressed about how different the future looks from just a few weeks ago.

It’s understandable if you feel distraught/devastated… even if none of your loved ones have died from COVID-19.

This. Is. Hard.

And this “virtual” reality feels… well… unreal.

Trying to outlast this virus seems like a lost cause because folks are dropping every day. Not only those who die from Coronavirus but those who succumb in other ways.

To slashed income. Or domestic violence. Or burnout from working 12-hour shifts. Day after day. Week after week. (No relief in sight.)

There’s other unsettling fallout too. Like the shocking and sudden realization that there isn’t much you/I/we can control.

Like job security… financial security… food security.

There’s more than a little desperation going around. And nobody coming around. That’s a profoundly negative equation. (Isolation + desperation = unmitigated disaster.)

I think it’s high time the people who deliver the news start reporting (loud and clear) that we’re smack in the middle of another pandemic.


Wendy Holtz
Wendy Holtzhttp://wendywithawhy.wordpress.com
Wendy Holtz is a Midwestern writer, teacher and speaker, mother of five, and exceedingly grateful recipient of God's grace. A self-described "reclusive extrovert," Wendy adores people and parties and the happy chaos she calls home, but frequently and desperately seeks the stillness, nearness, and fullness of God in and through scripture, nature and artistic endeavors. A graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University, Holtz worked in advertising before taking a 20-year mommy sabbatical to raise five extraordinary human beings (and do approximately 9,437 loads of laundry). Over the years, Holtz has taught a variety of Christian education classes and Bible studies, mentored some remarkable young women, and facilitated dozens of interactive marriage workshops with her husband and soulmate, Steve. Holtz is the author of Treasure Hunter: A Field Guide for 12 Spiritual Expeditions and the keynote speaker for Treasure Hunter retreats and day trip expeditions. In her writing and teaching, Holtz passionately conveys her mission and message, taken from Psalm 16: In God's presence, there is fullness of joy.  You can connect with her on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter... or read her blog here:  Wendywithawhy.wordpress.com

Related Posts

Comments

Recent Stories