Celebrating a birthday this year will have to be a bit different. I was never really into throwing parties or having big celebrations anyway but during my birthday week, I usually just sign up for a RACE, go out of town or take a quick trip abroad. A chance to take some time off, find some solitude and hopefully a gift of a perfect run is more my thing. Unfortunately, this global contagion we now face has called for restrictions that prevent me from doing what I normally do. This LOCKDOWN or “enhanced community quarantine” is the government’s latest effort to fight the pandemic. This means there are no races to run, travel by land, air or sea is restricted and social distancing is the new norm. The safest and smartest thing to do right now is to STAY AT HOME ( stop the spread ) and give full support to our medical practitioners manning the front lines against Covid-19.
Sometimes I wonder what has happened to our world. What have we done? Have we become so selfish that we are slowly destroying it inconsiderately just to meet our own ends? Instead of progressing it seems we are only regressing. Whatever the case may be, I hope this serves as a major wake up call for all of us. While it is too early to know what the full impact of this virus will be, how we respond to it at this very moment is as crucial as ever. We hope for the best, plan for the worst, and if we’re lucky, expect something in the middle. This is life now as we know it.
So here I am at 57, celebrating a birthday in the midst of a PANDEMIC. As much as I would like to do my annual birthday rituals, I will have to change it up a bit for now. There may be no races to run or travels for the meantime.... but that’s ok. At least, I can still RUN.... and that’s not so bad.
Keep safe everyone!
