This is day 104 of the pandemic in my part of the world. The rate of new infection is going down most days even though our governor is easing restrictions. Restaurant and bar patios have been open now for about a week.
My wife and I visited a patio at Waldmann Brewery with Romeo, a good friend ours, for my (mini) birthday celebration. We had a lot to catch up on.
Most patrons on the patio seemed like teenagers on their very first date, awkward and guarded as if they were trying to remember the rules of engagement...
When do I wear the mask?
When is it appropriate to take it off?
Do we shake hands or bump elbows?
The food, beer and conversation were excellent. I ordered the sauerbraten which consisted of braised beef, spaetzle, gingerbread gravy, and braised apple cabbage. Romeo brought me a very special birthday gift (pictured below). This 12 year old Tullamore Dew is more than I would ever spend on a bottle of whiskey for myself so it’s been a nice treat and will be reserved for special occasions...or maybe not.
It felt incredible to socialize, laugh, and talk about something other than the virus after nearly three months of being in isolation. Raymi and I both agreed that spending time with family and friends is what we’ve missed the most. I just can’t help but to think how none of us will get this time we’ve lost back.
We’re at a very precarious stage in this pandemic. People are beginning to fray from lack of socialization and financial pressures. As with every other issue society is polarized, split primarily between two factions “This is a complete hoax” and “If we’re not careful, this virus will kill us all”.
Personally, I feel the truth about COVID-19 lies somewhere in between. The data shows that yes, there is a virus and it was more than likely lab-created. The data also clearly shows this virus is affecting mainly the elderly and those with underlying conditions the most severely except for some outliers that, for now, still seem to be a huge mystery.
The real question is will the isolation and severity of our response to this virus be more harmful than the virus itself? That’s yet to be determined. I do know one thing, our society won’t be the same for a very long time, even after the last coronavirus case is reported and the mainstream media swaps the story for a fresh catastrophe. I really have no answers except for the fact that the long term implications of our response need to be taken into greater consideration the next time around.
As so often is the case it’s the intangibles in life that we discover are the most valuable and the least understood. These are the things we feel instead of intellectualize and are able to easily quantify. These intangibles, in large part, are what make us human. As we step into an uncertain future we must take great care to preserve these intangibles at any cost.
How is life in your part of the world? Please share in the comments below.
I’m going to end this, and every future Pandemic Diary entry with a list of things I’m grateful for.
Enjoy the week!
Eric Vance Walton
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