The crazy train has pulled into the station and every seat is full. No matter where you look, TV commercials, social media or on a homemade sign at a rally, everyone has an opinion they are sharing loudly. There are people on each side like we are in a giant game of dodge ball. No one is brave enough to be in the middle, they will get pelted with balls from the opposition AND their own team. For each team, being right is as important as their message. If you don’t agree with them, you are the problem and clearly too stupid to play in their game.
What neither side is willing to admit is their dodge ball game is being sponsored by Fear. Fear is on their jerseys, stamped on their dodgeballs and is being played in Fear Stadium. This isn’t surprising though. Our very basic fight or flight response is ingrained in our DNA just like the startle response. We are just used to being scared of things that we can touch, feel and see. And COVID-19 is not tangible in any of those ways.
On one side we have the “Stay at Home” team. They attack others on social media accusing anyone leaving their home of not caring about the people that will surely die as a result. They finally found toilet paper and are prepared to stay home for the next 2 years because that is what their friend’s neighbor, who is a doctor in rural Iowa, said would be best. They are 100% right and you are dumb to not listen to their logic.
On the other side we have the “Open America” team. They too like to post on social media but more recently they have decided to take their show on the road and demonstrate in public. We have to open everything up today because the economy won’t recover. They read somewhere that this virus isn’t actually that bad during a work zoom call from a co-worker who’s cousin works at the pentagon and talks with important people regularly. They are 100% right and you are dumb to not listen to their logic.
I saw a meme on social media that said “We are all in the same storm, just not in the same boat.” I think that is so true. As restrictions start to be lifted we will all have to put the dodgeballs down and let people position themselves where they are most comfortable on the court. No one should have fear of a dodgeball to the back of the head because someone else doesn’t like where they are standing.
To team “Stay Home,” I know you are scared. Take your time when things open back up. If you are older or if you or a family member has a medical condition we will still deliver your groceries and FaceTime with you for as long as you need. When you are ready to leave the house you can do it on your terms. But don’t critisize someone who needs to go back to work to support their family today.
To team “Open America,” we know you need to go back to work. So go back to work and support your family. We will cheer for you as you open our economy back up! Our country will pray each day that you and your family stay healthy. But don’t criticize someone who is older or someone with a medically fragile child who decides to stay home longer.
To everyone in the middle, we will support you too. One day you may feel safe going out and the next you may feel better staying home. We will all have a little re-entry anxiety after being home for 6 weeks. We know you are doing what is best for your family and all of us think you are amazing.
I have noticed with my own circle we are all navigating life right now differently. My friends with jobs who still have to leave to go to work have a very different outlook from those who have been working from home. Neither one is good or bad, right or wrong… just different. Our families are different and it’s ok to support each other as we recover from this on our own time and on our own terms.
As far as the dodgeball game, I’m sure it will continue for a while longer. Fear brings out the worst in so many of us. My hope is that those in the middle can toughen up and learn to bob and weave for the foreseeable future. Maybe if enough of us don’t throw the dodgeballs back, the game won’t be as fun and those on the extreme ends will lose interest. At the very least, maybe making that serpentine pattern to avoid the next dodgeball will help work off some of those quarantine snacks. A girl can hope.
Erin Has Something To Say 