Fortunately we enjoy the benefits and can deal with the downsides that winter snow brings to Colorado. We haven’t been home a week yet but we’ve seen snow every day. Until today, the temperature hasn’t risen above freezing either – meaning it hasn’t been very messy either.
Confluence – Colorado and Roaring ForkWavy SnowfallNeighborhood Eagles
This afternoon we have been treated to a classic Colorado blue sky and a warm up. It is an opportunity to clean up the snow on the driveway. A good thing given our absence and the growing piles along the edge.
Tomorrow we might try our hand at cross country skiing. Gotta love it!
Over the past few days I have taken time to speak with a few friends and family; to check in, talk about life in general and of course discuss how we are coping with the crisis of Covid 19. Sometimes the conversation steers toward how we and our loved ones are coping with the restrictions. At other times we talk about the future; when we will be able to be with each other again, when we will have more freedom of movement. We wonder about the days to come, spring and summer and fall, whether and how we will have to protect ourselves. Sometimes conversations lead to concerns for our physical and financial future; what kind of job, income, retirement people will have. All of these topics underline our sense of uncertainty – our desire to know more.
Fear and uncertainty can be motivating or debilitating. It can lead one to exercise caution and take positive action. It can also lead to anxiety, indecision, obsessive behavior and thinking, and violence.
The conversations we have had are generally comforting as we feel the familiarity and endurance of our bond. With close friends we can learn and benefit though each other’s experience. My friends have helped me appreciate different aspects of the crisis, different experiences that they or their friends are having. They tell stories of friends who are isolated and alone, friends infected with the virus, friends who have no work and little savings, friends who are trapped away from home and some who have just returned from other countries.
These conversations have helped me appreciate the diversity of perspectives on this crisis. Looking into the idea of perspective in the news I have learned that variations may be due to the level of infection in a person’s region, whether someone they know is infected, race, socio-economic status, housing, political perspective, and significantly, their age. For example:
Young people are also more worried that levels of racism will increase as a result of the pandemic.
In the United States, 22% of people aged 18-24 are worried people will become more racist, compared to 10% of people aged 45-54. In Spain, 17% of people aged 18-24 are worried people will become more racist, compared to 9% of people aged 45-54.
In the United States, 39% of young people (25-34) have reported concern about losing their job or struggling financially compared to 12% of older people (45-54).
In India, 23% of young people (25-34) are worried about losing their job or struggling financially compare to 16% of older people (45-54).
The dynamic nature of this pandemic makes it very difficult to understand. Not only are number of infected changing by the hour, by region, state and county but the response and information are also variable through time.
I hope you, your friends and family are well. I hope your local community is coming together in support of all.
Joni and I have been sheltering at home since last Saturday. But this is no longer a choice – it’s the law. Colorado’s Governor signed an executive order effective at 6AM this morning; saying that the majority of Colorado’s 5.8 million residents must stay home. This order was made to contain the spread of the corona virus and the tendency of people to ignore less direct warnings. I guess “we” still need a parent.
Unprecedented events continue to unfold as we identify and adapt to our invisible enemy. The fact that our only defense is distancing is causing a host of related changes, the likes of which are scaring people even more than the virus itself. It is pulling us together as it creates tension between us. I hope that we can pass this test and emerge with greater understanding of our personal and collective power.
Last night I spoke to a friend in government who is on the front line of the response to corona virus. She attends regular community briefings to understand virus and the cascade of social and material consequences that it and our quarantine bring. These community leaders are organizing a safe response for our children who are isolated away from school They are planning to provide support, particularly food and supplies for children staying at home from school. They are grappling with the logistics of getting supplies from here to there. They have to move and deliver these supplies without inadvertently spreading the virus. First, they must secure materials from stocks and/or suppliers. Once they have identified the children in need (an ongoing process) they connect the children with the support. Of course they must keep track of all this movement; the product (like food or computers), the volunteers who transport it and the recipient. This is a multi agency/business/school endeavor.
Supply Chain – David McGavock
As amazing as this sounds, it is only one of the initiatives and groups in motion around this crisis. This effort may not seem as heroic as the work of our beloved health care professionals, but it is critical to prepare in these early days. We are but one small, rural, community. There are many counties and towns involved in this particular coordination but we are just a small microcosm of work being done at the level of the State, Nation and World. Connecting the needs of individuals, families and business with materials and support is what is necessary at all levels.
As an example of what is happening (or not happening) in communities around the world, this local effort reveals just how interdependent we are – how much we rely on each other, our businesses and government, our formal and informal organizations. Socialism, capitalism? call it what you want but we have to act with a single minded, social purpose, to provide for the basic needs of our community.
I am sitting at home, following the direction of my state governor who is acting on the advice of experts in the field of epidemiology. I trust that they take this responsibility seriously and should be trusted. I don’t trust them blindly of course but based on what I’ve read, they are taking a cautious and educated approach to the crisis.
This is a perfect time to reflect on the utility of government to direct the public for their own good. Would some call this socialism? Perhaps. Our taxes are invested to keep healthy bureaucracy in place – to prepare us for unforeseen events and to act in a coordinated fashion when necessary.
My personal action is not so much a sacrifice as it is a logical conclusion of the facts (yes facts) at hand. This action doesn’t really require that much of me except to listen and behave accordingly. Is that so hard? But staying home is relatively smaller sacrifice for me; a retired 64 year old with a pension. Staying home is a much larger sacrifice for many others. It entails a loss of income and for some it will lead to job loss and business loss and all the hardships that follow. I am fortunate to be in a stage of life where I am relatively insulated from this sacrifice.
Despite my particular niche, I know that I am connected to each and every person and that their sacrifice and their fate, is my fate. As this cascade of social effects continues, I will feel the effects of unemployment, business and investment loss. These and many other effects will become OUR new reality, our new legacy. They will require more sacrifice on everyone’s part. We will have to rebuild our economy in the same way we would reconstruct a community in any other disaster. Given that this disaster has affected all of us, without exception, the scale of the recovery will be on a scale we (Post WWII children) have never known.
It is time to prepare for collective sacrifice and action. My hope is that we will be considerate of all in this crisis, no matter their age, race, gender, or socio-economic status.
Yes, I have finally returned to my blog, to share my perspective on recent events, people, and personal adventures. Who needs more opinion, right? Please bear with me as I add to the noise with my own version of the truth. It will take me some time to get my writing feet again I’m sure.
Covid-19 is upon us and we are making an unprecedented adaptation to our way of living. It’s impossible to know how the virus will spread and the impact it will have. I think it’s safe to say that it will change our relationships and institutions. The change and the adjustments we make will be imprinted upon us like a duckling to it’s mother. I hope to record my version for myself and for anyone interested. So welcome… or see ya later.
No one can deny that there has always been a wealth of activity and change in our modern world. The speed of communication, and the pace of technological innovation are just two indicators of the rapid change. Yet human nature remains constant. Not only are our aspirations, history, and values pretty established, the security we seek and the pain we avoid keeps us on a path that can be traced – even anticipated. This can provide us with insight and (hopefully) save us from over reacting in times of trouble.
Memory
One of the biggest limitation we have is our memory. As we become bedazzled and entranced by the latest news, we lose track of the bigger picture. For example, how many times have you recalled a story in the press and been unable to recall who or where that story came from. Sometimes, within the day I have read a piece, I lose the reference . Our recall of yesterday’s events are also pretty cloudy. Younger folks probably are ahead of me in these memory tests but I would wager that you are taxed as well as you invite even more distraction into your life than I do.
Writing requires the exercise of my memory. When I commit my thoughts to the page I encode the memory a bit more. Our memories are an edited version of history rather than a snapshot. We re-write what has happened as we recall it. In the process of recollection (re – collecting memories) we interject modern impressions and hopes into the past collection.
Journaling as events unfold can help us be more conscious and therefore accurate in recording what happens. My hope is that this record will be worth looking at in the future, a fair account of my personal experience. A bonus would be that writing will enrich my experience and improve my decisions through these troubled times. At a minimum it will be a better record than the one residing in the soft grey matter in my skull.
It has been almost 2 years to the date of my last blog entry April 4th, 2018. That post described our re-entry into the United States from our travels in Asia. As we traveled, I was inspired to write by the novelty of our experience. There was never a dull moment and always a surprise around the next corner. Even in Nepal where we lived for 5 months and became accustomed to our friends and surroundings, surprises abounded.
Brace for Novelty
For better or worse, life has become pretty novel right here in the US lately. Human organization around the world are rapidly changing, adapting as I write. Changing fast and in ways that we cannot fully grasp. I compare it to my first automobile ride through Kathmandu, Nepal. As we drove from the airport, I stared out the window trying, but failing to make sense of what we passed. These pictures are too still to do justice to the inital confusion.
Streets of Nepal – David McGavockStreets of Nepal 2 – David McGavockStreets of Nepal 2 – David McGavock
Driving through the changing landscape of Covid-19, information is flying at hyper speed. At this point news organizations have given up reporting anything but changes related to Covid-19. If I didn’t know better I’d think that all those past problems are solved – NOT!
While I don’t boast great readership, I am going to re-invite some of you – my friends – to this site. I’ll try and provide some decent photographs related to my posts. Perhaps this will bring people back on occasion.
I hope you and your family and friends are finding your way through the new reality, safe from this silent enemy. I hope you are feeling some level of security and kinship with each other despite the storm.
