As I sit here at my desk in Flat Rock, NC, contemplating the state the world is in, I thought I’d share my thoughts. There is a lot of fear going around about the COVID-19 virus, and I’m not saying that it’s unwarranted—this virus is killing people—but I do wonder what this fear is doing to the world.

I went into my local supermarket the other day for food—funny how I go there more now to buy food for my Bella (after a liver scare, she is on a chicken and rice diet that I cook for her—talk about spoiled). Anyway, as I traversed the aisles, I noticed that all the antibacterial stuff—like wipes and sprays—was completely empty. I cannot remember a time when I saw three rows of shelves in a grocery aisle empty, can you?

And this whole toilet paper thing, what is up with that? There wasn’t much of that left on the shelves, and Ingles was limiting it to two packages per customer. Luckily, it’s only me with my Bella, so I bought a 6-pack of rolls.

Traversing my local park with Bella, around 5pm, which is usually packed with people and kids, was nearly deserted. A few people smiled at me, and I smiled back as we passed, but no one stops to chat. It’s all a bit disquieting, eerie.

I recently returned from a week’s cruise to the Western Caribbean on Carnival, where I had a wonderful time—and, yes, I and the 17 others who traveled with me on the WTZQ Radio cruise returned home safe and well. And, yes, I noticed a few people wearing masks on the plane back to Charlotte, NC.

One guy, a couple rows ahead of me as we were debarking, shocked me. He had a mask on but as he stood there in the aisle fiddling with his phone, I noticed his hands weren’t covered and his hands were leaning against the chair where another person was still sitting. Now was he sick? I have no idea, but the fact that he was playing with his phone and leaning over someone else while doing so amazed me. He’s still passing on germs as well as receiving germs through his hands.

I check social media often and read posts by others and this one was very striking, so I share it with you now.

I thank Abdu Sharkawy for his words and add my own. Yes, we are scared but knowledge is power, people, so I implore you to learn the facts. I shall continue to be optimistic. The CDC and WHO are still great places to remain informed.

My friend, Suzy, always watches CNN and when I’m with her, I watch CNN, too. So we stayed abreast of what was happening while we cruised the Caribbean, and we watched in humored amazement as the world went nuts—price gouging, hoarding, political blaming—followed by sadness and disbelief as the numbers came in of those affected.

My beloved Italy is feeling the brunt of this virus and my heart bleeds for them, such a beautiful country with beautiful people. Elderly people are impacted the most, having a weakened immune system—plus more apt to already be suffering from heart disease, diabetes, emphysema and numerous other ailments. The word frail comes to my mind.

I shall not curtail my life, but I have restricted my movements, keeping close to home and canceling things that might put me in contact with immune-compromised people. I’ve learned some new terms along the way:

• Flattening the curve refers to the epidemic curve, a statistical chart used to visualize the number of new cases over a given period during a disease outbreak. Flattening the curve is shorthand for implementing mitigation strategies to slow things down, so that fewer new cases develop over a longer period. This increases the chances that hospitals and other healthcare facilities will be equipped to handle any influx of patients.
• Social distancing refers to actions taken to stop or slow down the spread of a contagious disease. For an individual, it refers to maintaining enough distance between yourself and another person to reduce the risk of breathing in droplets that are produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. In a community, social distancing measures may include limiting or cancelling large gatherings of people.
• SARS-CoV-2: short for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, SARS-CoV-2 is the official name for the virus responsible for COVID-19.

You remember the SARS virus (SARS-CoV), which hit the world back in 2003, appearing first in China in 2002? This new disease is much worse, but then it seems like we get hit with a newer, more virulent epidemic every couple or so years. The WHO states that, worldwide, “the flu kills 290,000 to 650,000 people per year.”

So many bad things going on, the fires in Australia, the locusts in Africa, the flooding and devastating tornadoes, and now this virus. Let’s not add to the bad by being unreasonable. I don’t believe in stockpiling things that I do not need. I don’t believe in hoarding things that I do not need. Truckers are still out on the roads, bringing supplies. Medical personnel are working overtime to combat this threat. And the DOW is up, so the economy is bouncing back. This, too, shall pass. We are resilient, we too shall bounce back, continue to make plans for your future, continue to be optimistic. And continue to be helpful, not hurtful.

I believe in maintaining a healthy lifestyle, as well as helping others and creating community, so if this is your first time checking in I thank you and welcome you to my community. Read more about me here.

We must continue to work together and help each other learn and grow.

I shall hope to share my thoughts more often, and I welcome all your thoughts and comments. Till next time, stay well.