FIRST A PREVIEW: I DON’T KNOW ANY MORE ABOUT THIS NEW VIRUS COVID19 THAN YOU CAN KNOW
The news coverage is everywhere. I have a simple way to sort out what to watch, read or listen to. I simply tune out the “blamers” and political messages. The people who do this are not helping. They are trying to somehow capitalize on a time of tragedy, for ulterior motives. TUNE THEM OUT!
Download K. Strassel--Pols Face a Coronavirus Test - WSJ
IN A TIME LIKE THIS, I SUGGEST WE TURN TO PRAYER AND ASK FOR GOD’S DIVINE HELP…
TO GUIDE US, OUR FELLOW AMERICANS, OUR LEADERS… AND PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD.
Here’s a link to help you: https://live.life.church. TUNE THIS IN!
As a lifelong Catholics, my wife and I became disillusioned, as more and more Catholic priests/clergy were revealed as behaving terribly. We actually “stumbled upon” another “Church”—Life Church — a non-denominational church, daughter Lisa found after she moved to Oklahoma (where Life Church began). It was started by pastor Craig Groeschel and his wife Amy 20 years ago. Life Church and Pastor Craig's weekly messages are very relevant and inspiring (and yes, based on passages from the Bible). Life Church reaches thousands in its (now) 34 campuses, (in the south central US) and streamed on line globally at https://live.life.church, to countless others with its streaming messages. His words, messages and delivery have increased my faith, given me valuable new perspectives on all aspects of life, and been memorable for the clarity with which he delivers them. He comes across like “Mr. Everyman,”—one of us, but reminding us of God’s power and goodness in easily understood and accepted messages—and that is something we all need—especially NOW!
Two revealing facts: 1) Life Church’s growth & campuses have grown "self-financed," and 2) Life Church welcomes everyone, in person or on-line.
Life Church gives away its materials to any church that wants to use them. It has created an on-line Bible App, that has now been downloaded over 300 million times. It had about 3000 churches using its materials, when the COVID19 struck. It has invested to increase it’s available “reach” and now 20,000 churches are using Life Church resources. In a refreshing practice, Pastor Craig tells attendees, when the collection basket is passed around, if your need is desperate—take money out of it, instead of putting money into it.
A final point: I would never have believed I’d be sending this kind of message—but I am—because it is that important. I now understand from Life Church and Craig that “church” is not a building—it is in the hearts and minds of the people who believe in God’s power and goodness.
That’s what we all need right now!
AT A FRIEND’S REQUEST IN MID-MARCH FOR A WRITTEN PIECE ON "GLOBAL SCENARIOS," ON BEHAVIOR IN THE CLUTCH OF FEAR, I WROTE THE FOLLOWING: THOUGHTS ON LIFE AS WE KNEW IT, and AS THE CORONAVIRUS CHANGES EVERYTHING
We are experiencing the Stages of Grief (re: Kubler-Ross) in this situation: shock & denial, pain & guilt, anger and bargaining, depression, reflection & loneliness as we await an upward turn.
Theologically, one could imagine God’s hand in sending the people of the world and certainly of the USA, a message: What’ really important? Unite to work together against a common foe—instead of working at odds with each other over everything. Have faith and hope. Realize that prayer has a healing effect whether you believe it works or not. The penalty for failure is widespread illness, suffering and death.
Those of a more Darwinian mindset may view this a nature’s way of “thinning the herd,” where the oldest, weakest and least prepared—become ill and die. Natural selection does this in species of animals, plants, anything in a given ecosystem, to remove the weak, so the strongest can survive.
Socially, unity against a terrible foe is a powerful influence; unity of purpose, to stop the polarization and infighting, find consensus on directions, cooperation on actions, to a win-win outcome. Contain the spread; allow those who can recover to do so; treat the most seriously ill, realizing that most deaths come from other pre-existing or underlying weaknesses or conditions, (not the virus itself) rather its impact on the more fragile bodies—the old and infirm. Two steps are essential: mitigate the panic that inevitably occurs, but retain the intense concern (fear) needed to take urgent, Draconian actions.
Find and follow the Leadership of those who were selected and allied with those who know the most, and have the best ideas & plans. Use the vast intellectual resources in the USA, and pay attention to discoveries from abroad. In fact, many prior breakthroughs came by accident: Salk’s polio vaccine, the discovery of antibiotics like penicillin while researching agriculture, and many near misses that were refined to be hits. Speed is essential. Leaders must have a plan, communicate it, take action to execute, measure progress, course correct, overcome obstacles, and gain consensus acceptance.
Recovery can come only when a cure and/or preventative vaccine has been found, and administered widely. Like weeds in a garden, caution must be exercised in the event of recurrences. The damage to the economies (USA, et. al.) can be irreversible if not given the right priority. Cancer chemotherapy offers a good metaphor: the drug intended to kill the cancer—the body’s cells gone wild—must be administered in carefully managed doses. Too much and the body (the economy) dies; too little and the remission doesn’t happen. The balancing act between stopping the spread of the disease (distancing, quarantines, shutdowns) without stopping too many life affirming activities (business, social gatherings, etc.) for too long is a huge challenge.
Only when people in societies believe that an effective remedy and/or prevention are accessible to all, will enough confidence and certainty exist for society and economies to recover and rebound. The largest challenge globally is the enormous differences between cultural, social and technical ability and countries’ will to work together against a virulent enemy. Most countries in the world are “less-developed” than the USA, Europe, and certain Asian countries (Japan, S. Korea, Singapore, etc.) Some are “Third World” countries who might, by their inaction, negligence and lack of resources—financial, technical and intellectual—sustain the virus inadvertently. This is a gigantic challenge, and will require aggressive help from government leaders and World Health Organizations to resolve.
One certainty: this Pandemic will create a “new normal,” nothing like what existed before. And, this is not the only such threat in existence. More are lurking out there. It is just the new one born of [the Chinese'] crude, ignorant practices, and lies about what was, what is, and what’s being done about it. We must learn that lesson, or this lesson will be repeated, painfully again and again.
Now let’s see if humanity can rise to this new challenge and work together, instead of at odds with each other, to save ourselves.
SHORT TAKES ON WHAT THIS ALL MEANS OR MIGHT MEAN
First: Two excellent columns that everyone must read:
Download KISSINGER-The Coronavirus Pandemic Will Forever Alter the World Order - WSJ
Second: Testing is vitally important but we are still learning what the tests mean, and how reliable they are. For a return to any kind of “normalcy,” even if far different than in our past, several things must be accomplished:
1) a set of quick, easily administered tests with proven accuracy—both positive (have been accurate) and negative (Negative tests seem to have only been accurate 70%+/- of the time!)
2) a vaccine that stops the virus a substantial part of the time (realizing that current annual flu shots are typically only 60%-80% effective, depending on which mutation of the flu they were designed to stop)
3) several treatment regimens and drugs to help seriously ill patients survive and recover (true anti-viral and “found drugs” like anti-malaria and anti-lupus)
4) a learning process about recurrence potential, seasonal variation, and potentially fatal COVID-19 sensitivity to worsening other pre-existing illnesses (pneumonia, diabetes, other heart & lung conditions).
AT TIMES THE BEST ADVICE COMES FROM SOMEONE YOU KNOW—UNEXPECTEDLY
Many of you may know I am an enthusiastic Rotarian and believe in its motto Service above self. Our club can’t meet normally, so we have chosen Zoom teleconferences to meet. The interaction is surprisingly welcome. Seeing the faces and hearing the voices of friends, fellow Rotarians, is somehow comforting. Another Rotarian is a professional in counseling and she shared a series of thoughts with us that left me hastily scribbling notes as fast as my pencil could move. My apologies to her if my notes and over simplifications don’t convey her message as well as she did.
GOOD ADVICE:
- Don’t feel so bad about yourself, there’s nothing wrong with you. What you're feeling is “normal” in a very "abnormal situation.”
- Know the facts if you can, so you can have faith in them. That’s realistic and calming.
- Be “grounded” in the present: use your senses (touch, smell, sight, hearing, and taste) to connect you with familiar surroundings in your home (most of us in OH are under a Stay At Home order).Wash your hands well & often!
- Get back to your body, and out of your mind. Physical activity helps; less time watching always-on TV coverage of COVID-19.
- Find enjoyable “good” distractions: puzzles, books, music, gardening, art, taking walks, etc.
- Don’t procrastinate: Prepare for the worst, "do what you can do"… and then "you will be ready.”
- Find a “buddy” you can talk to, and who might give you advice or at least info. (you can use it or not!).
- Accept that things are and will be different (e.g., telemedicine has been coming; now it’s here (”seeing" Dr. vs. talking to the Dr.)
- Connect, connect, connect! Follow social distancing, but do what you can. We all need contact—even if not so physical.
- Practice self-compassion. It’s OK to feel grief or sorry for yourself at times, but realize it comes and goes in “waves.”
- Take care of yourself: Get enough sleep (you'll need more, anxiety uses energy), get exercise & routine movement, eat healthy, find good entertainment, “get outside”—daylight is good for you. “Hug each other, mentally if not physically—humans need some touch”
- Feel gratitude for what you/we all have. For fans of Neil Diamond, here’s a special coronavirus version of Sweet Caroline, he performed for us all, from home. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1-VWpXIwXk
OK…that’s enough for one dose of COVID-19 survival thoughts.
Stay well. Stay in touch. Stay positive. Pray…a lot!
Best
JOHN
PS: It’s a great time to clean house, and clean out the piles of stuff you should have already been rid of. Give usable stuff to needy people. Trash the rest. For me…finish the 2nd novel…successor to The Chinese Conspiracy.
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