By Isis Win
Although this is not the first time that people at large have been recommended to stay home (quarantine) whether you already are sick or to avoid a virus, this is the first time that a large part of the world is at home and does not go out. As we know, a preventive measure to contract the Covid 19 virus and to avoid spreading it prolonging the threat. Partly, the result of the level of globality we live today.
The seriousness of this disease makes most people with two fingers of the brain to follow the suggested in some places ordered reclusion. Others, such as the social distancing mandate. Some families had resourced to what is called today “quaranteam,” which means, more than one family sharing one dwelling to make it easier or more passable the reclusion.
Like most people, I am quarantined at my mother’s home since I came to visit her, and if I go out, it is under the strictest precautions. Meaning, covering my mouth and nose with a mouth mask and on top a face mask. I wear gloves, and every time I touch anything with them, I immediately disinfect them. I do not pull my cell out of my pocket unless there is an emergency. Itching of the face is unavoidably, and when it happens, I scratch the itch with my cigarette box that is frequently as well disinfected. Any money I carry for my purchases, I thoroughly disinfect it, and I do exactly the same with the received change. I avoid proximity with anyone, and if someone gets too close, I rather walk away instead of telling them anything. I learned they do not care about that, so it is useless to say anything. Everything I buy, once I washed my hands at home, I proceed to disinfect it. Then, I remove my clothes, put them in the washer, and I shower. Why do I take such extreme measures? My mother is 90 years old, get it?
Been alone for a prolonged time at home has never been an issue for me. I always find something productive to entertain me. I listen to music, write tons, edit my photos in the PC, read, cook, fix something, clean and laundry, play an instrument, take care of the garden, stream movies, etc. etc. so, I do not go through any anxiety that others had expressed. However, I know that I will possibly be home for an extended time. Who knows how long in this region, but I suspect I can be a very long time.
I can manage as you see, but there are things that I despise. Not being able to deal with people, whether the people I often deal with when going out or strangers, and particularly the people that I find entertaining, and I enjoy having exchanges of information, ideas, etc. I badly miss the walks I am used to on a daily basis. Some days I go around the block and take a brisk walk for about 15 to 20 minutes through the streets. No one walks at that time. However, I only do that when I truly feel the demand from my body, which demands loads of activity after a few hours of inactivity.
The emotional aspects of the experience is another story. Whatever I do at home, does not change me by any means when I reckon this a “voluntary” retreat which is the direct result of something really bad happening out there and is growing rapidly, and killing thousands of people. That gets me bad, bad. At times I feel the pain of the world. Pain such as the worry of not having a job anymore, hence income, lacking basic needs, living in very small quarters, not having a single soul around, not even having someone to talk to, and the suffering of the disease. Yikes, this experience is a reminder of the times in which I lived in Central America during the guerrilla/military wars. However, the truce moments were a breather. Nevertheless, both experiences are absolutely gross and disgusting.
Although I am good to compartmentalize, doing so with this situation proves to be a larger challenge. On the one hand, the responsibility of caring for my mother’s wellbeing and safety and on the other one, knowing that once this is over, the world I remember will never be the same.
This experience teaches me several lessons. One about safety and threats and another one about the validity of the lifestyle I am accustomed to—the two major ones among a dozen others.
I have known for a long while that too many of the comforts I live with are inexcusable. Considering that our planet is threatened badly, consumption is placed on the scale, and demands are to be examined. That includes the waste of energy resources, paper, water, food, plastics; you name it. Even in the case that global warming is a hoax, as Trump claims, we do not have the ethical and moral rights to affect our planet as we have done it for centuries. That is plain wrong and unconscious. But as well the habit of possessing tons of technological devices. If you look at my kitchen, mine is not an exaggeration, but you will find at least a couple of dozens of electronic devices that run electricity. The blender, the food processor, microwave, toaster, fridge, coffee maker, mixer, hot plate (induction of course!) sous-vide, cd player, juicer, and believe it or not, many more. I find as well tons of eccentric stuff in the rest of the house. Although I could think no big deal about that, the important factor is that those things speak eloquently about my lifestyle, therefore me. Maybe I can feel the same about that, but I question myself about the dependency or necessity of all that. I am not talking about living the hippie style or like the Mennonites. Just simply a grounded lifestyle that if for any reason, I stop enjoying it, I do not feel the emptiness of lacking them. Similar to the feelings about this sequestering by Covid.
I am not truly a history buff. I know enough about it to assess that – life before these technological times – was so different, and people from the early 1900s lived much better regardless of enjoying much less comfort. I see many of the truthful elements of that past. Such as contact among people was a little closer, and people cared about the wellbeing of their locality, people, etc. almost like some churches still behave today. They immediately get involved when an urgent need pops. Although it is fair to say, many parishes failed to respect the social distance mandate and served their followers regardless of the threat of becoming producers of massive contamination. The important factor here is that we all should follow the safety protocols of the case for the sake of everyone else.
Contributing to the needy. I am a small town, mostly composed of the rural population and living by the sale of produce either purchased from large producers or their own growth. Those people cannot go to the market of streets to pursue sales to follow the safety measures. Therefore many families are missing the meal of the day or more. A few groups got together and started to propagate a collection of food to provide food to those families. People have been contributing tons of food. There is a collection place where all safety protocols are followed; they collect the goods and distribute them as needed. I was touched when I sent my contribution of the day, and I received about two dozen red roses for my donation. A local flower producer delivered tons of his flowers to the collection site to be gifted to food contributors. Their workers, following the safety protocols, cannot generate income because of the mandate. The owner of that farm, not having the resources to pay their workers, shared their flowers to pitch in as well. A more than a nice gesture that speaks eloquently about becoming one for everyone in this crisis: that is the exact way to endeavor this painful and threatening situation. Although I am not in that place myself, I am back to basics like anyone else, except the rich.
On another side, I have read tons of conspiracy theories about the virus. Most creating a false sense about how this virus showed up in the world. All theories with intended reasons to wipe large numbers of people if not to extinguish the entire race. Perhaps one no so full of holes. An author (Briton), known by his theories presenting loads of smart data that make credible to state that the virus is the result of another conspiracy but released by the magnetic waves of cellular technology. Particularly G4 and the new one G5 that, according to him. Releases of grand amounts of magnetic waves affect the human body and create diseases. In other words, Covid 19 does not exist according to him, but the effects of G5, in particular, creates this pulmonary disease. This theory is quite bright and well educated but blatantly out of this world. The same is the constant release of false information, including what the White House said early this year. Many lousy publications are known for creating malicious gossip and tell tons of poor data. Bad news on the hands of poorly educated people is dangerous. All that garbage should stop at once! There is no time or place for that today! Yet, our constitution supports anything in terms of expression. Shall the amendment be revised? I think so, don’t you?
Being forced to stay home for a prolonged period is a pain in the ass. It is manageable, but as well, it runs into the possibility that the thinking can get slowly crooked, and it is possible to start the day on a bad foot. I hear lots of people that communicate messages via WA or other apps, and what they share is nothing short of ignorance and deceit. I am glad I can remain strong and use common sense to deal with this unwanted situation. At the end of my thinking process – I always land in a place – in which uncertainty – speaks loud and clear. It says that regardless of how much information I gather and how intelligent and reasonable that is, even if only is a fraction of my thinking, my mind can react in a stupid way. I caught myself there a few times when I watched Donald Trump’s press moments from the White House. I believed his stupidity, cunning, and manipulating rhetoric, and I almost got upset about it. I know better than the majority of us and have a better sense of this reality and act the best possible way I can reach. However, I was amazed by how easy it could be for me to engage in all those lies and deceits. OK, I take the deserving blame, but I reckon the important fact that the situation and the lack of the proper leadership to manage this entire Shebang did not help me to react with the best of my IQ, EQ, and all the education I have earned through my life. I hope those in similar situations are doing better, much better. Ultimately, regardless of the result of the end of this crisis, I know from every cell in myself that we are going to come out well and possibly with a new attitude that will rectify the missteps of this situation and many others neglected for a long time. Faith does not go away, and hope remains as my best companion. I wish you the same. We Americans are resilient!
