Going on eight months of dealing with the pandemic, we’re all tired of it.
As an introvert, I guess I can deal with many aspects better than most people. Staying home isn’t a punishment for me; it’s actually where I’m most comfortable. There are things that I miss: I haven’t been to my favorite beer garden since mid-June; I haven’t seen my church family since March. I haven’t eaten inside any restaurant since February. I haven’t seen my friends in months.
I have been able to see my parents, because I’m not doing those other things. My dad is gravely ill, and Covid-19 would kill him. That’s my motivation: if I do everything right, I can still see my mom and dad. Fortunately, they live close enough that a five-minute car ride, or maybe less than an hour’s walk, and I can be there.
Two days ago, it was time to celebrate my youngest daughter’s birthday. Delta now lives with us again, as her company went to remote-only, and it made sense for her to move home rather than keep her expensive apartment in Brentwood, TN. We went for a delightful hike at Frozen Head state park, and were the only people on the trail.
The fatigue, for me, comes from other people — those who don’t take this seriously, don’t wear masks, don’t physically distance, or simply don’t believe that the whole thing is real. Most of those, I can simply stay away from, and I do. But because they don’t take the necessary precautions, the numbers continue to rise, people continue to get sick, and everyday life cannot continue as it should. Most frustrating was a conversation with my mother, who — who knows why — seems to believe that the whole pandemic is a media fabrication designed to get rid of Donald Trump.
I only wish that were true. Presidents are temporary; death is f-ing permanent.