IPFS
CONNECTING THE DOTS
Frosty Wooldridge
More About: Politics: General ActivismA National Moment To Pause In Our Journey
On December 7, 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt said, "The only thing we have to fear, is fear itself."
Today, in this Covid 19 world, we need not fear what's happening, but instead, use our brains, our sanitary practices and our knowledge to defeat this viral enemy. It's a mindless adversary with only one talent: to transmit itself through human proximity.
At the same time, we might understand that this virus brings a moment of reflection to our lives, communities and nation.
For the moment, let's look at the hysteria foisted upon us by the mainstream media. In the last 28 days of this epidemic, 21,000 Americans suffered death while over 500,000 Americans have been infected. That's around 2 percent death rate.
At the same time, 1,700 Americans die of heart attacks, daily. Another 1,600 die from cancer, daily. Another 227 die from being overweight via diabetes, daily. Over 450,000 Americans die from lung cancer annually by their own hand: smoking. Prostate cancer kills 44,000 men annually. All of those deaths easily preventable by nutrition and exercise! Medical doctors kill off 100,000 Americans by prescribing drugs that cause a reaction and death, annually. Car accidents kill off 38,000 Americans annually. Half of those deaths from drunk drivers! Texting while driving kills over 4,100 annually! Around 527,000 people die from falling off ladders and buildings, annually. Around 6,000 die from being shot. Knife stabbings run around 1,600 annually. Thousands of teenagers die of drug overdoses, annually. The opioid crisis killed over 70,000 in 2019, or over 130, daily.
What questions does this raise as to our choices in this high-speed society? Answer: it's driving a lot of people to death via emotional imbalances, mental anguish and cultural addictions such as tobacco, drugs and alcohol. In other words, we commit ourselves to death much more by our own hands than Covid 19.
Let's pause to reflect. What are we doing or not doing as a society to bring on this much death to ourselves, and, so systematically? Why haven't we addressed it? Found solutions? Why haven't we taken action to implement positive results?
In my own life, I've thought about these items in the past 27 days of self-quarantine:
With the renewal of springtime in our country, may we contemplate deeper thoughts, introspection and balance. Perhaps we might play in the yard with our kids daily. I know my dad played baseball with us every spring and summer. He coached us in football. Mom and dad watched every game in basketball and track. Dad stood on the tennis court to watch us grow. I can't thank my mother and father enough for their nurturing my siblings and me through our younger years.
|
"May the road rise up to meet you, may the wind be ever at your back. May the sunshine warm upon your face and the rain fall softly on your fields. And until we meet again, May God hold you in the palm of his hand."
(Sandi's feet "grounding" to the Earth as she sits on Meditation Rock.)
##