In this Together.

How fragile are we? Amidst all the memes, jokes, advisories and barren shelves in the toiletry departments, the fate of our future is dangling with uncertainty. When will COVID-19 no longer be the topic on the forefront but simply another flu that we get vaccinated for every winter season. 

When I say 'we', I'm aware of my choice of words that include the entire future of the planet and not just classified to one race, gender, or corner of the world. Instead, it has forced a pause on the entire world's economy, entertainment, politics and everyday life. What have you last heard about the teacher's strike happening in Ontario? Or who has won the vote for the democratic nominee? What brashly ignorant statement has the American president said of late and what new drama is happening to the Kardashians that are breaking the internet? None of these questions matter. Not to anyone. Not now, anyway.

The topics that we have surrounded ourselves with in our daily lives have come to a quick, concrete halt. 

And how quickly do things change from one day to another. Yes, we heard about the cases in China and Italy, then Iran. But those were cases that were on the other side of the world; sad, but did not inflict on my everyday life. Then were the stories of cruise ships unable to dock anywhere for fear of infected passengers. The numbers in Europe and Asia increasing by the hundreds and then new cases in the US and Canada. Wow! It was spreading quickly, but still, not a lot of concern for my or my family's well-being; more sympathetic for the people who were suffering and silent thoughts on how ignorant governments are for continuing to allow people to come and go, especially from places that are infected. Yet, my day went on, my family's day went on. We went to places, had our kid's hockey games and swimming lessons, friends visits, mornings at the gym and the entertainment channel was still on the television as I cooked dinner. Yes, this was going on, but it was just still news and news about Brad Pitt's Oscar win was far better in the background while stirring my spaghetti sauce. 

Then my kids' school board announced a two-week closure in addition to the March break. This was a logical decision seeing as many people (like myself) were not seeing the harm in travelling for the break and they many not think to quarantine themselves when they got back. The funny memes and videos were rapid on all social media feeds. Memes of parents needing to stock up on wine due to an extra-long break with their kids! Lionel Ritchie photoshopped, clutching toilet paper with the words, "hello, is it me you're looking for?" All very light-hearted and I too thought to take the opportunity to visit with friends, arrange play dates, again not really in-touch with the reality of it all. But then borders were closing and play dates were cancelled. Sports games and concerts were postponed, and store shelves were emptying. 

So much has changed in a matter of five days, three days, day-to-day and my light-heartedness has declined since. I've always taken the precautions of washing hands and touching doors, but it has gone beyond that. Perhaps my optimism of modern medicine and awareness of past exaggerations from the media has prolonged me to take these warnings as a serious, global problem - one that affects me too! The change in all our lives has made us realize the vulnerability of our human existence and it is a problem that connects us all. Every one of us. 

Now more than ever, we are at a stance in our lives where we are consciously aware of the uncertainty of social interactions and value- more than anything- the health of our families and friends. We appreciate the opportunities for kindness from strangers while underestimating that the need for human touch and contact are engrained in our genetic make-up. Perhaps the cultural greeting of a handshake will be a thing of the past, but the term, '#we're in this together' will all remember. A phrase that will probably be printed on T-shirts - if it hasn't already- and bring us back to a time when the world was infected with the Corona virus. 

And I say bring us back to the time because that is one thing that I am certain of. This will be a thing of the past. Humanity will overcome this as many things that we have survived throughout history. Some things that perhaps our grandparents have compared the pandemic with but have lived through or times so far back that they are studied in classes and read about in textbooks. But people have always overcome. They have survived and picked up the pieces and progressed from it. And this will happen again. I'm comforted to hear the the government cares about its people to take the precautions that they have. I'm relieved to know that the promise of our jobs will be there when we get back, and that banks have extended due dates for mortgage payments and taxes and the monthly bills that are part of our regularly scheduled lives.

We all know that our regular scheduled life is on hold and the uncertainty of knowing when we get back to that regular scheduled life is unnerving. Sure, some of us are going a bit stir crazy at home and the restlessness of our kids forces us to think about keeping some sort of normality and structure in their lives. But if something positive will come from this, I would say that above all else, we ALL understand how fragile life is and how valuable the human spirit is - the kind human spirit. We need to take care of each other. We need to smile and hold doors for each other. We need to call one another and say 'hey, how are you doing?' We need to end our calls with 'stay safe' and 'I love yous'. We will get through the this. And we will be stronger from it.