Official Coronavirus Cancellations and Postponements…

If you’re like me, you’ve been fixed on all al the activities and diversions that have been cancelled, wondering when they will return.  I have such a fix to play softball again, go to dinner with friends, and watch a major league baseball game.  Not to mention, nervously eying the calendar as the date for the Motley Crue/Def Leppard/Poison concert draws near.   (And coming to the realization that the extra two grand I paid to the ticket scalper is probably about to evaporate.)  I decided the best strategy was doing some postponements and cancellations of my own.  Here’s what I came up with so far.  Please feel free to add any events I missed.

Beating yourself up for feeling lazy and lethargic has been postponed.  It’s normal to feel disoriented in disruptions like these and you may not be as productive as usual.  Maybe when this is all over, you can waste time on recriminations on such nonsense.  But for now, it’s time to be more forgiving and less self-critical.

Watching the daily Coronavirus Task Force Briefings from the White House has been cancelled.  The reporters who want to give a keynote instead of asking a relevant question, and the ones asking about stupid shit like pardoning the Tiger King will probably drive you bananas.  And when the president rambles on about his TV ratings, or lies and spreads misinformation to distract from the incompetent, feckless job the government is doing, you can get angry enough to ruin your whole night.  Skip the briefings, you’ll learn any important details afterward.

Feeling sorry for yourself has been cancelled.  Instead, focus on how grateful you are not to be in an ICU or a morgue, that you still have a chance to fight this thing.  There are many others facing grievous tragedies right now, so let’s hold a positive thought or prayer for them and look for the hidden blessings we all still have.

Assigning blame for the partisan wrangling, lack of preparation, and incompetence of the people charged with protecting us been postponed.  There will be a time and place for that afterward.  Your time now will be better spent checking in on elderly or sick people and trying to help those less fortunate than you.  Also spent being productive to generate business, so you can provide for those that count on you.

Fearfully studying death counts has been cancelled. There are many horrific things happening in this crisis but fixating on them doesn’t help anyone. The best thing we all can do is concentrate on staying alive, being hopeful, and whatever it takes to help keep others alive.  Whether that means wearing a mask at the supermarket, staying six feet apart, or remaining home in quarantine.

Studying worst case scenarios has been cancelled.  It will drive you crazy.  Let’s look harder to see the stories of neighbors helping neighbors, the heroic caregivers, the random acts of kindness, and the people who are taking risks to keep us all supplied.

Also, many new items have been added to the calendar.  This include being kinder, showing more patience, and expressing more gratitude.

Peace,

- RG