All kinds of thoughts going through my mind these last few weeks. The Center for Disease Control reported we may choose to wear a mask, or not wear it, based on the infection rates of where will live. Of course, this sounds positive and is based on the clear statistics across the U.S. that the COVID infection rates are decreasing.
So much is hopeful about this. Not wearing a mask is freeing, however, I carry it and have worn it, most recently in a grocery store where a number of other shoppers and employees mask-up.
My mask wearing, or not wearing, comes with the awareness that the virus is still with us. I also look almost every day at the COVID statistics. If you have read any At Peace posts you know I have centered much writing to a sensitivity to the number of deaths. Recently, the rolling 7-day average was 1,426 deaths in the U.S. On March 1, 2022 there were 1,691 deaths in our country. (Source: ourworldindata.com)
Based on the March 1 death total, over 15,000 people (9 X 1,691) in the kinship network (parents, grandparents, siblings, spouses and children) are now new mourners of a loved one from COVID., assuming they were not already mourning a COVID death. So, my thoughts go from celebration of no masking to understanding that even now, more than two years since the pandemic appeared, we still must realize the trauma families are facing. Consider yourself reminded.
I watched the half-hour Nightly News on NBC earlier this week. About 20 minutes was devoted to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. We saw lots of people (over three million now) trying to escape the bombing of their country. Precise numbers of deaths are not yet available. These deaths again result in the tragic loss of humanity and the necessity of complicated mourning.
In many cases, families are split apart with some leaving, some staying in Ukraine. Where will they live? When will they hear from loved ones? With whom do they grieve?
I heard a radio interview this morning of a young woman escaping from Ukraine. She introduced her young son by his name, which translated in English is Peace. Peace and his mom were running from their home, and the bombs, and the devastation.I am a person of faith, but I think this situation challenges us all with questions that are difficult to answer. Again, my mind’s thoughts are on high alert. I will pray for Peace and his mother, and hope that you might also. May they, and you, be At Peace.
At Peace 