Quarantine Day # 129.

It’s crazy! That statement alone would have made absolutely no sense a year ago. Yet now the declaration of a quarantine is global. I think there have been houses I moved to that I never lived in as long as I have currently been quarantined. The idea, the reason for quarantine, is a tragic reminder of adults of time periods we had read about in history but never, ever presumed we would face it in our lifetimes, at least not in a sophisticated, educated and “wealthy” society. No, maybe a third world country would have to experience such a catastrophic event but not us. Yet here we are. It made me think (as there is not much else to do) about the children of this horrible venture into madness.

Our little ones (the youngest of 5 grandchildren) may not remember much of this, assuming it is better in 6 months. As they are just 5 years old, it may be just a footnote on their life experience – we can only hope! As of now they have an innocent approach to the current world’s events outside of their daily dose of “device” stories and games and what they hear from their parents. Their current innocence is manifested in their description of what is happening. One of our little ones had her preschool interrupted by Covid at the moment of “spring break” for her school activities. (Something just sounds weird having spring breaks, and graduations at the preschool level). So, based on that she will say “Grandpa we can go to -fill in the blank- when the Spring Break is over”. To her mind we are just in a very long Spring Break. The other little one expresses this current experience by stating what she probably heard from her parents that we can do things “after the disease.”

What strikes me, in addition to everything else absurd, is that while countless ignorant people have politicized the wearing of masks – besides endangering their own lives – they are not realizing the impact on their children! Not just physically but mentally and emotionally! They are disregarding the responsibility to teach basic issues to their children. Just watch the interviews and glimpses of unmasked people on the news. I usually take a quick glance at their children next to them and see them in light of a grandparent and it saddens me.

It also makes my wife and me so very grateful and humble for our 3 daughters and their husbands who are handling this catastrophe with the best of humanity. As educated women with educated husbands they have crossed this great river of fear with all the tools they can muster and control to get their “babies” across to the other side. They remind me of momma bears protecting their cubs at any and all costs! My mother – the great grandma – called us the other day and said she was worried about the great grandchildren in light of the issues for the starting of the new school year. Without hesitation I told her that I was not worried because the grandchildren had the best parents and they would protect them and nurture them beyond anything I could imagine.

When I shared the conversation with Peg she calmly agreed and said absolutely our daughters would do the best to get the little ones through this. She casually said she knew because they were all “wired” to teach, to entertain, and to protect their children through this pandemic with total resolve. We have total comfort and ease knowing our grandchildren will be safe and make it through stronger, more educated, and with the proper guidance needed for their specific ages to get through this. We don’t know the future extent of the pandemic, but I know my family has the right “stuff” to get our grandchildren safely physically, mentally and psychologically to the other side.

Just wear your frickin masks people!