Monday, May 25, 2020

Memorial Day 2020

Today I woke up to rain. For late May this is not an odd occurrence, in fact the last 5 or 6 Memorial Days were rainy, but the weather had not called for rain and the last week has been bright sun, clear skies and temperatures  in the 70s and 80s. So my first thought on waking up to pouring rain was, "The Earth is crying". So far we are about 5 months into 2020,somehow already almost halfway and so far almost the entire year has been a constant barrage of fear, death, pain, sorrow, loss, and sickness. 
This week a lot of things opened back up. A lot of restrictions were lifted. A lot of people jumped at that and stopped being safe. I don't  understand the human or more accurately American ability to rationalize bad things away. A wolf ready to pounce doesn't  go away because you say it is gone and stand in the opposite direction. No it jumps you from behind and tears  your body limb from limb. This disease has been a wolf at our door all year.
Today is Memorial  Day. A day we honor those lost in war. Those who don't  come home. Well this has been the biggest war we ever fought and the death count for the world is just under 350,000 and for the US it's nearly 100,000 which is almost 1/3 of all deaths in the world due to this virus.
So this year yes I will remember  my grandfather and Rob's grandfather and all the other veterans who did not come home or who came home but are gone now. I will honor their sacrifice. But I implore you to honor another kind of warrior this year, those who fought this disease and lost. Those warriors who never came home. Who died in hospitals away from loved ones choking as their lungs filled with fluid. Those who could not say goodbye, or did so via a computer screen. Those who when they died could not be buried or mourned properly, no funeral or remembrance  could be had until the quarantine could be lifted.
Think about them when you take off your masks, gather together, and risk infecting your loved ones. Think about them when you are grilling and laughing. Isn't  that what Memorial Day is really all about? Thanking those who died while we grill hotdogs and forget? Life is for living...but stupid is as stupid does....
Today I mourn, and keep my distance. I hate it as much as anyone, my mental health suffers  daily but I am terrified of myself or someone I love of being the next victim of this terrifying and invisible war.

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