Hello! Here we are just a few days away from Christmas, and the concern of another spike in CoVid after the holiday is upon us. Just like what was seen a week or two after Thanksgiving, the fear is now about Christmas gatherings. I know many of you have changed your normal Christmas celebration this year and You have decided to meet up with only a few close family members, or maybe not even do that. Some people I have talked to are staying home for Christmas and they will mark the day quietly with only immediate household family.
We Fabians are basically doing the same thing. We will stay in all day at my daughter and son-in-law’s home, along with my other daughter, her hubby, and two grandsons. Only 6 adults, and two children will be together on Christmas Day. It’s a smaller celebration than normal. We won’t go out to church Christmas Eve. We won’t eat out anywhere. We will stick with just our inner circle, safe and distanced.
Still, I am worried. I know that stopping the spread of the CoVid virus is not an easy thing to do. There have been reports the last few days on TV that mutations of the virus are now being found in Europe, meaning it’s even easier to catch than earlier. Scientists say it is a normal thing to happen but still it is disturbing. It’s definitely not good news to hear with Christmas just a few days away.
Until the vaccine is widely received and most of us are inoculated the easiest thing we can do is to wear a mask. Anytime you are away from home, and around people who are not your immediate family just wear a mask. It’s really a no brainer at this point. We know enough about CoVid to know it spreads through our noses and mouths. We need to cover them up. We all need to mask – and we need to stay six feet apart when possible.
Yet, this morning on Facebook, I had a few people react to me negatively when I made a comment about a picture where people were standing shoulder to shoulder and un-masked. I asked why and I voiced my concern about it. The picture was of people in the music business hanging together, celebrating – in a bar.
Well, I was laughed at online (You know the ‘haha’ emoji), and others told me to stop nosing into other people’s business. “Let people out there have fun” one said. Another called me a Karen (the term for an over-the-top liberal woman). I can take it. Being called a Karen is better than being called someone who purposely ignored health warnings, and didn’t do the right thing. Or – Someone who possibly caused harm to others and myself.
But, I find it interesting/sad/scary/unbelievable that today, some 9 months after we started learning about CoVid 19, there are still Americans out there who do not take getting and spreading the virus seriously. They are either unaware or in denial about the hundreds of thousands who have been sickened by it, and the thousands that have died. Is it due to ignorance? Perhaps they have not heard any news in months? Living with their head in the sand? Or, is it stubbornness? Or, they don’t believe the news anymore? But – Is there anyone out there now who has not heard of a family member or a friend effected?
This Christmas will go down in history as being the one where we had to hunker down, and we didn’t travel, and We didn’t spend it with aunts and uncles Cousins, and the relatives you only see once a year. It unfortunately is the Christmas where people will say “I told you so” after it’s over, and the one where our hospitals will face more over capacity needs. People will get very sick and people will die. 2021 will start off in a pretty scary way. It will be a nasty new year if we don’t mask ourselves.
So – it you haven’t made a Christmas wish yet – or you haven’t thought about what gift to give to others that will make a difference… Make it a Masky Christmas! Swallow your pride. Overcome your doubts. Think of others. Do your part to keep others safe and healthy.
To be merry – we must be masked! So… please…
Have yourself a very, very Masky Christmas!
Marla’s Musings 