First off, how are you all doing? If you read nothing else in my diary except that I genuinely want to know how you are doing tonight, that’s FINE. We have to check in on each other. It’s OK if that answer is something other than “OK, you?”.
The COVID19 pandemic has me doing a lot of introspection between wondering when I last washed my hands, planning my grocery shopping like a deep-ops maneuver, buying bottles of wine that apparently leak once opened, and washing my Buffs daily. Our lives have been turned upside down, and the current new normal has many of us feeling anxious, isolated, scared, and fragile. I know SO many people awake at 3am that we’re actually discussing not how to get back to sleep, but what our plans are for those deep dark hours. These are uncharted times, the kind that lead to forever changes. Which got my inner Muse thinking. So grab a glass of something tasty (my choice tonight is a lovely 19 Crimes Red Blend) and hop over the story break.
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Way back in May 1998, I was very pregnant with K1, and Mr. Brillig had emergency knee surgery thanks to an aneurism behind his knee. Because of the location and severity of the damage and reparative surgery, he was unable to bend his leg at ALL for several months. During which time, K1 arrived. As he couldn’t walk, much less drive, he stayed in the hospital with me for the entire time. At one point, he went to the restroom and was gone a really long time. I asked what happened when he finally got back to the room.
His answer surprised me. The men’s room he entered was, as they all are in hospitals, Accessible. There was a button for him to push to get into the facility. BUT. And this is a big but… in order to exit the restroom in his wheelchair, he needed to push the accessibility button. Which was NOT reachable in his leg-straight-out configuration. There was literally no way for him to get out of the restroom without another person. And no one came in for AGES. There were numerous other experiences large and small during that time that we both swore we would never forget.
This experience has stuck with us for almost 22 years and counting, that claims of Accessibility often don’t match reality. We try very, very hard to be good allies to those with mobility and other challenges, because we remember what it was like for just a relatively short time in our lives.
I have been wondering similarly… what are we going to carry with us from 2020, the Covid time. What are the experiences and knowledge we’ll remember forever? What will we hope NEVER to experience again? I can see no way we embrace our (yes, it will happen one day) New Post-Pandemic Normal without incorporating our lived experiences in these months.
I will never again take for granted the smiles and hugs of people I don’t live with. The hardest part of covering my face is not being able to smile so others can see, and I’ve always said I am a hugger. My Netroots Nation experiences revolve around panels and hugs. I didn’t realize how much I NEED those.
I will never forget the fear I see and hear in myself and others. Reading social media posts of friends absolutely terrified — panic attack terrified — because they need to go buy milk is something I never expected and hope never to do again. I don’t know how long we will carry this terror, but I suspect far longer than we were afraid to fly.
I want to carry with me the memories of the incredible generosity of spirit thousands of people have showed. And the heroism of those essential to our society. Doctors, nurses, grocery employees, sanitation workers, and more. CEOs and stock brokers didn’t make that list.
I want to remember I can live without daily trips to the store. That I can feed my family based on what’s in my pantry. Even if that pantry looks slim.
Mostly, I want to remember forever that our current system is BROKEN. That we do NOT have functioning healthcare for all. That our supply chains do NOT take care of our basic needs. And that those 1%ers we’ve been told are Essential… that’s all bullshit, and we need to spend the rest of our elections making sure we remedy all of these.
What will YOU remember?
I will never forget my dear friend and collaborator BeninSC, who brings us tonight’s Tops!
Top Comments
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Highlighted by elfling:
Is this fine comment by Ralphdog on historical insights on dealing with a relevant pandemic.
Highlighted by mookieb:
Is this comment by Liberal in a Red State about a way too up close and personal encounter with coronavirus.
TOP MOJO
Top Mojo for yesterday, April 6th, 2019, first comments and tip jars excluded. Thank you mik for the mojo magic! For those of you interested in How Top Mojo Works, please see his diary on FAQing Top Mojo.
Top Pictures
Top Pictures for April 7, 2020! Thanks so much, jotter!