Posts Tagged: coronavirus

“Humor During a Serious Plague”

On March 25, 2020 by Dteb With 0 Comments - down to earth believer

“All the days of the oppressed are wretched,

but he cheerful heart has a continual feast.”  (Proverbs 15:15, New International Version)

Call it a “pandemic,” or call it by an old-fashioned name like a “plague,” or call it macaroni, if you like.  This coronavirus outbreak is a serious matter.  It needs to be treated as such.  In fact, it is well past serious. It left serious in the rearview mirror weeks ago.  It is now downright grim, and likely to become much grimmer.

However, even in times like these, humor is important.  Perhaps especially in times like these, humor is essential.

So, today’s blog post—without glossing over how serious this plague-ish pandemic is—is going to risk (possibly) making you laugh.

First (and this is in the rather grim humor category), is an occurrence from a grocery store whose name shall remain anonymous.  (I will give you a hint: An anagram for the name of the store is rekorg.)

I was in the coffee aisle, with my mask and latex gloves on, trying to find some flavored coffee.  I usually buy whatever is cheapest at General Dollar, but I decided that, since the world was coming to an end, I would treat myself to some nicer coffee.  As I was shelf-reading the coffee aisle, my eyes suddenly were jolted wide open, as if I had just had a double-shot of espresso.  For there on the shelf was a coffee called—and I am not making this up—“DEATH WISH”!  It even had the skull-and-crossbones on the package. Where do coffee companies come up with the names for all these specialty coffees? In view of what we are going through right now, this one should probably be retired.

Second story.

I was sitting in the rocker watching a rerun of Adam-12.  Our little dog was on my lap.  She jumped down.  At the commercial break, I decided to look for her.  I did not even have to get up.  She was standing on the third step of the stairs, right beside the rocker, staring at me.  “What does that look mean?” I asked.  Of course, she did not answer in any language that I know.

“Come back down,” I said to the little black and white creature.  She did.  Then, she leapt back up in my lap, climbed up my arm onto my shoulders and neck, and began licking my bald head.  I laughed and laughed.  Apparently our little dog is not terribly intimidated by the coronavirus.

Third story.

I don’t know if Progressive is really good insurance or not, but they most certainly make good commercials.  Take, for example, the bigfoot commercial.  Before I make any comment, you need to have a look at the commercial, if you are not familiar with it.  You may access it at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AeavqyDYQtQ.

My wife was very eager to show me this video.  It may have been because she thinks I’m rather full of myself, and always want to be the center of attention.  If this was her thought, she had the decency not to say so.

Or, of course, it may be because my name is Daryl.  And yes, I’m afraid my feet really are pretty big. I am not writing a screen play, but I am a writer.

Go ahead and laugh!  I dare you! In fact, I give you permission!

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“Keeping a Friendlier Distance”

On March 20, 2020 by Dteb With 0 Comments - down to earth believer

The rains are over for now, and it is still warm (72o in Cincinnati right now).  My wife and I turned off the endless coronavirus reports, and went for a walk.  However, this pandemic and the fear it engenders are not so easy to turn off.

There were other folks outside as well, but my wife and I kept our distance.  No, not from one another, but from other people.  If either my wife or I are infected (as we may well be), we are going to cling to one another, as Genesis 2:24 says we should.  But we do try to protect ourselves from others, as well as protecting others from us.

However, we had some nice conversations with a few of our neighbors—from a respectful distance.  I sensed that we suddenly needed one another more.  Or perhaps we simply realized how much we have needed one another all along.

One couple who were out walking approached the intersection of the streets at the same time we did.  They hesitated and we crossed the street.  “We’re sorry,” the lady said.  “We’re just trying to be careful.”

“We are too,” I replied.

“No offense meant,” said the lady.

“None taken,” said I.

We need other people.  We also need our distance, right now and always.  It used to be said that we need to allow everyone three feet of personal space.  I suspect that this rule of thumb is now obsolete.  Six feet is now the new normal.

Perhaps we need to think through how much we need people, as well as how much we need space.  Perhaps space will help us to appreciate people more.  Perhaps we are beginning to come to grips with the fact that a pandemic does not really care about who you are, or who you think you are.  This virus appears to attack anyone it can.  While the wealthy have more access to health care—as they always have—even they are not immune.

Genesis (the first book of the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible, not the musical group) indicates that the human race came from one man and one woman.  (Profoundly interesting is the fact that the word “adam” can be a proper name [“Adam”], but it is also the common Hebrew word for humankind.)  Even if you don’t believe that Genesis 2-3 is literally true, it suggests a huge Truth: We are all in this thing called life together.  “America first,” “my race first,” “my family first,” “me first”—these slogans won’t cut it.  We live together; we die together.  If we need to keep our distance from others, it needs to be a friendly distance we keep.

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“Fear? Not!”

On March 16, 2020 by Dteb With 0 Comments - down to earth believer

I think that it is safe to say that we are all at least a little fearful right now.  Yes?

So, what do we do with our fear?  Perhaps a better question is this: What do we refuse to let fear do with us?

I suspect that there are several things that fear wants to do to/with us.

One thing that fear wants to do to/with us is to make us panicky.  Fear can be a good thing.  It alerts us to danger, and helps us to take prudent measures that protect ourselves and those we love.

Panic, however, is not a positive thing at all.  Panic always makes a bad situation worse.  Always remember the eleventh commandment: Thou shalt not panic!

Another thing that fear wants us to do is to collapse on ourselves, to become completely self-absorbed.  Many of us (especially those who write blogs) are already self-absorbed enough. 

So, what can and should we do with our fear?

First, we can feel afraid.  Feelings of all kinds are made to be felt.  Don’t deny your fears.  If you’re not afraid right now, you’re not paying sufficient attention.

Say your prayers.  You don’t believe in God?  Well, say your prayers anyway, even if you have to start them out with “To whom it may or may not concern.”  When I pray, I feel calmer.  In fact, one of my most consistent prayers right now is a calm-my-spirit prayer that I learned years ago, when a church I pastored was going through a 50-Day Spiritual Adventure.  Here is the prayer: Calm my spirit, Lord.  That’s it.  That’s the whole prayer.

Second, do the things that normally work for you, even if you don’t think that you can, even if you don’t think that doing those things will work.  I am continued to do 12-step readings, to make gratitude lists, to do (at least sporadic) blog posts.

And, since panicky fear wants you to be self-absorbed, do something that you really don’t want to do for someone else.  Check on other people.  Call.  Email.  Text.  Yes, by all means, wear a mask and gloves.  But minister to the needs of others.  The coronavirus is a serious threat, but cowardly selfishness will damage us even more.

Fear?

Not!

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“Living Courageously in a Time of Pandemic”

On March 13, 2020 by Dteb With 0 Comments - down to earth believer

There are two ways that the coronavirus kills: by physically destroying humans, and by fear.  The second method may well be the most effective.

My wife is visiting her mom in a nursing home.  Nursing homes are a wonderful breeding ground for the coronavirus.  I am worried and afraid.

I journaled, and then read what I had written.  And I communicated these fears to my sponsors in my morning report.  One of them got back to me with a phone call that helped me to get the fear under God’s control.  And I texted a friend and asked him to pray for me, for my wife, and for all concerned.  I ended my text as follows:

“Thanks for reading this.  I feel better now, having gotten some confused and confusing feelings out in the open.  I think I’m already feeling less confused and fearful.  And you haven’t even prayed yet!”

“Today’s Affirmation: Today, by God’s grace, I will live a courageous life.  I will not fear perhapses.”

Courage is not the same thing as a careless attitude or actions.  Prudent precautions aren’t cowardice.  It takes some courage, even to be cautious.

However, fear is no one’s friend.  And courage is a good friend these days, and every day.  We should prepare for possibilities and probabilities, but we can and should live without perhapses.

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