I have no medical training. I did come close to finishing a biology degree back in college before I changed career paths. Other than that, I do not profess to have any real knowledge to assist me down this road of Covid-19. My only qualifications are, wife, mom and business owner. And, I can honestly say, in all three categories, this virus has hit me hard.
Almost daily, I lament on decisions. What is the right choice? How are my choices perceived? Am I doing what is best for my family? How will my small businesses survive? You see, we all have opinions on how to handle this virus. But the greater challenge has been that so many people have deemed that their path is the only path. I do not agree with that. I think that there can be many ways to navigate this international crisis. And, while my path may not be your path, I also feel like you have every right to handle this your own way. Unfortunately, I am seeing our country quickly divide. And, it breaks my heart.
While there are some that like to point to "experts" and statistics, I find that information is also a daily moving target. Advice presented as a must, has turned to a suggestion and even the numbers are being scrutinized for inflation. It is hard to know what to believe. So, at the end of the day, if you take away social media or any other media, for that matter, you have to make a decision for yourself.
This week, my family escaped to the beach for a few days. We limited news and social media and the break was refreshing. While it did not change the state of the world, it did change my perception for a few days. I felt almost normal. Beaches and restaurants and retail is reopening in Florida and people were finding their new normal. Masked mingled among unmasked. Bands played at the restaurant and children played in the sand and we all looked a bit less strained from prior months of stress.
I know that Covid-19 is not going away. Currently, we don't have a vaccine and we are still learning its strengths and limitations. I do not pretend that I am untouchable by the virus. In fact, I suspect that, somewhere along the way, I may have even had a mild case of the corona virus. But life must go on. Children must feel safe to go outside and play and our country must return to the economic giant that we can be. How we get there is still uncertain. Just remember that this is uncharted territory for us all (even our leaders) and while there will be mistakes, to keep moving is our greatest measure of success. Only you can decide the path for you and your family. Just be open-minded that the journey of others may not reflect your own. And you know what? That is ok.