Earlier this year I posted about being sick and now I look back and like many others I wonder if I had "The Rona" ...back before the world changed... before the world stopped turning.
My family and I had a Spring Break Cruise planned and despite all of what was going on in February and March I was bound and determined I was going on that cruise. As the Covid-19 stories kept filling the news, friends and family kept asking me if I was still going on that cruise. My answer was always "Heck Yeah, I'm Going" Well on March 14th 2020 one week before we were supposed to leave, that decision was made for me. All outgoing crusises ceased to operate. Within 10 days, the world as we knew it would stop too.
What a year so far and what big changes. I was watching the very last NCAA March Madness game played this year and at half time they decided they were done, they weren't playing anymore, it wasn't safe. Oh how the world reacted! No March Madness!!! Well there would be Madness in March that is for sure, that was the start of our new beginning. The old world the old normal...that is gone. We won't be going back to that. We are definitly on a mission to find out what is next.
One by one all sports stopped being played, businesses shut down, schools closed, churches stopped gathering, going out to eat...forget about it. You suddenly learned if you were essential or not. Essential?!? Who decides if I'm essential or not, is that a fair decision? At Archbold and Lewis Insurance we were deemed essential and could remain open. We are still around to assist with insurance needs such as claims, payments and new policies. What about the other businesses? What about hair stylists and barbers there are a lot of people out there that would say that is an essential service for sure. Then there are stores, why is it fair for a Big Box Store to be open but the small family business closed. There are a lot of questions out there and a lot of opinions as well.
Well here we are over a month in, everyone home schools now, families eat at home and watch church online. Streets are empty...Check out some live cams of Times Square, Vegas or NOLA. It is a bit eerie. When you do see someone out there is a good chance they have a mask covering their face and or latex gloves on, and now we are already to the point we don't give that a second look! That is normal. It's normal for me to not want to touch a door knob or wipe down the shopping cart handle or No Way am I touching that RedBox Display Screen. Every time you touch anything you are slathering hand sanitizer on now. Forget about walking down a store aisle if someone else is in it...Six Feet Lady!!! Back off, you're in my space! If this is the new normal...I don't like it. I like shaking hands, I like being around people. If this is the new normal, I'm ready for a do over.