Month: August 2020

Be Like Jimmy Carter

Published on by Sharron BurnettLeave a comment

I’m a fan of the PBS series Frontline. I’ve been watching it for years to learn more about the world. It’s topics are always timely and informative and invariably lead me to do additional research on my own. Of course during the days of Covid-19 the program has often featured human interest stories about individuals and groups who have suffered from the virus. 

I’d been feeling a bit low about the isolation that has come to define my life during the past six months when I tuned in to an episode that featured two families whose lives were upended by these uncertain times. The first feature introduced an Hispanic woman who was many months pregnant when she contracted Covid-19. She began to have some difficulties associated with her pregnancy and was admitted to the hospital. Soon after her baby was born and during the birth she went into a coma brought on by complications from  the virus. She would spend the next many weeks battling for her life while breathing with the help of a ventilator.

In the meantime her husband and other son both tested positive for Covid-19 as well. When it came time for the newborn baby to leave the hospital the father had no idea what to do so he contacted his son’s teacher and asked if she might be able to help. The woman checked for resources everywhere and finally decided that she and her husband would have to care for the baby while her student’s family attempted to recover from the virus. She herself had been an immigrant as was her husband, so they both understood the complexities of the situation. It was a difficult decision but one that she knew she had to make.

Nothing went smoothly for the infected family so it was many more weeks than anyone anticipated before the mother of the newborn was well enough to return home to her husband and son who had finally overcome the virus themselves. With the unflagging support of the teacher and the generosity of countless strangers the baby was finally reunited with his mother who soon learned that her own mother had contracted Covid-19 and was not doing well. Nonetheless they were joyful that they were finally back together and enormously grateful for the compassion of the teacher who had helped them so much.

I felt a sense of guilt after watching this program and learning how much the Hispanic community has been impacted by this virus. The families that were featured had been working hard and enjoying life before Covid-19 upended their dreams of building better lives in the United States. They lived simply and frugally but they were happy. They got sick mostly because they never had the luxury of staying home and avoiding the virus. They continued doing essential work that so many of us take for granted. The virus invaded their lives because they had been determined to keep a steady income flowing into their simple existence. 

Even as we sit in our homes feeling beset upon because our own lives have been disrupted by inconveniences there are people who are working in hot fields harvesting crops or in factories preparing the food and the products on which we depend. Our country has built walls to keep many like them away from us and now in an ironic twist they have become essential to us. Even as more and more of them become sick and die, there are those among us who continue to complain about them and would gladly send them back to the places from whence they have come. Too often we take for granted the fresh produce and cases of meat that we find in our stores. We complain about shortages without thinking that they have often happened because the people who prepare such things are sick from the virus. 

I remind myself each morning of my good fortune. I am able to do the things that should keep me healthy and safe. While my activities have been constrained by Covid-19 I have not missed a meal or worried that I might lose my home. I may have to forego a trip or an evening at a restaurant but that is a small sacrifice in a time when there are souls who are losing multiple family members and living on the edge of financial disaster. 

I see much kindness around me. I think of the teacher in the Frontline story who so lovingly helped the family of her student by caring for their newborn. Nonetheless, I worry about the level of selfishness that seems to be rampant in our society. I hear people complaining about simple changes that they must make in their lives. I hear comments about the poor and minorities that are distressing. I wonder when so many in my midst became so self absorbed that they are no longer able to find enough compassion to just help those in need without judging them or demanding their own rights. 

I do not say that I am blessed because such a description implies that somehow God has chosen to be good to me over others and nothing in my Christian beliefs makes me think that a generous deity would pick and choose individuals on whom to bestow favors. Instead I believe that we are provided with opportunities and talents that we are expected to use for the good of all. That means sharing whatever we have and sacrificing if necessary. That should be our main focus in these times. 

I have to remind myself of this every single day because it is easier to complain than to look for ways to help to end the difficult moment in which we live. I am grateful that our grocery stores are still operating. I appreciate that our doctors and nurses who are still available to heal us if we get sick even as many in their midst have died. I do everything in my power to support our teachers as they undertake the task of continuing the education of our young. I join them by doing my part to teach mathematics to a number of youngsters who are learning from home. I ask myself what I might personally do to ensure that those who are less fortunate will not drown in worry or loss. I believe that if we are to overcome the horrific effects of Covid-19 we all need to agree to unconditionally care for our fellow humans and provide for their needs whoever they are and wherever they may be. We also must be willing to speak out against any form of name calling or lack of compassion regardless of the source. We have been shown the way the truth and the light. If we follow those examples all else will fall into place. If we fight over status and possessions our journey will be more difficult. 

If there is a leader whom I would want us to emulate it would be former President Jimmy Carter. He has spent his life walking the walk of his beliefs. He has worked to care for the underserved, the forgotten. He provides homes and love. Let’s be like him and remember that we are all neighbors.

Observations of a Strange Time

Published on by Sharron BurnettLeave a comment
Photo by Lisa Fotios on Pexels.com

We have literally stayed inside our home for the last two months so we decided to take another trip with our trailer to see our grandkids before they start back to school in a couple of weeks. We followed the same routine as before which meant preparing all of our food inside our traveling home, staying at our regular RV site, and visiting our daughter’s home in the evening when the sun has gone down and cooling breezes keep us comfortable as we sit outside under the stars six to eight feet away from one another. During the daytime hours we journey around the Texas Hill Country enjoying the vistas and seeing how people are reacting to Covid-19 which took a decided uptick in Texas just after our last trip.

Our first stop was at the Luling Buckee’s to get gasoline. Bukcee’s is a Texas gas station known for its spotless bathrooms with countless stalls and a cornucopia of food, snacks and drinks. With our concerns about going into crowded places we only filled up our gas tank and never stepped a foot inside the store. We used our own clean restroom and I made sandwiches in the trailer. For the most part people were waiting until the very last minute to don their masks and there did not appear to be any efforts to keep the number of people inside down to a minimum. I got the feeling that lots of people were resentful of having to take any precautions at all. 

Our campsite was wonderful as usual. The people who work in the office are quite cautious and make the process of checking in both easy and quick. We got a nice spot under the shade of an old tree which was also right next to the Wifi antenna. The place is always very quiet with few people mingling outside since it is a very hot time of year. Most of the folks are senior citizens who reside there all year long. 

Our first outing was to Fredericksburg where we hoped to pick up some wine at Becker’s Winery. We noted that they are open for business so we decided to stock up on some of our favorites. The winery itself is located in a lovely setting with vistas of native flowers and lavender fields. We soon learned that they are only providing pick up orders at this time so we chose a lane to park our car and called in our selections. While we waited we watched a flock of hummingbirds flitting from one blossom to another. They were quite entertaining and we were cooled by the shade of an old oak tree and a breeze. I would have enjoyed staying there doing nothing for hours.

We were the only people aside from a few workers so it was pleasantly quiet. We decided to eat our packed lunch in the peaceful setting. It turned out to be even nicer relaxing there than we had anticipated. A  woman wearing a mask eventually came out and placed our wine purchase on a stone wall in front of our truck and waved with a friendly gesture. It seemed to be a great way for all of us to stay safe.

Since we needed some bread we drove to a German bakery on the main street of Fredericksburg. Unlike our previous visit in June, on this day everyone walking up and down the street was wearing a mask. There was a big sign near the intersection of the major streets urging everyone to social distance and wear masks by order of the governor. At the bakery another sign indicated that we needed to wait for permission to enter, which happened rather quickly. There were large emblems on the floor marking the six feet intervals on which we were to stand. Everyone with the exception of those eating  was wearing a mask. Screens separated us from the workers behind the counter. We made our selections and were once again on our way without spending much time inside. It all felt very clean and organized giving me a great sense of confidence that I had not been exposed to the virus..

Later that evening we sat on the balcony overlooking a scenic Hill Country vista at my daughter’s home. She had fans interspersed with the chairs that kept us cool as we visited and caught up on news from our grandchildren. We had a great deal of discussion about the coming school year which is fraught with so many uncertainties. All of my grandchildren will be attending high school and sadly there will be thirty brand new teachers and a fleet of substitutes to take the positions of  the many teachers who chose to leave when they learned that face to face classes would begin in mid August with an estimated 3000 students choosing to return even though remote learning was also offered. Most of the other school districts in the San Antonio area will have remote classes until the end of September but the superintendent of my grandchildren’s district chose to go face to face immediately and have a choice of remote that cannot be changed after the start of school. My grandchildren have little idea who their teachers will be and phone calls or emails to the school have been generally ignored. It will be very different from the comfort they have formerly known.

On day two of our adventures we drove out to Junction.Texas by way of Boerne. The people there were far more relaxed about Covid-19 precautions than the ones we had seen in Fredericksburg.  The same had been true in June. It made me sad because there are places in Boerne that I enjoy visiting each time I travel that way but both this time and last I chose to just stay put in my truck and drive straight through town. 

The drive to Junction is quite lovely. It takes on the hilly and desert- like scenery of the west. Since it is always quietly quaint there the virus appeared not to have changed a thing. There were still the same stores and family owned restaurants with the “vibrant” area of town hovering around Interstate 10. There is not a whole lot of civilization past Junction for many many miles so it’s a good place to gas up and grab some provisions. Instead we found a little roadside park and had a picnic and enjoyed the sound of silence.

We spent our last evening with the grandkids. We all ended up wishing for the routines of the past when they would have spent a week visiting us and going to ball games, the beach and other fun places. Our visits to see them would have meant eating out and seeing the sites around San Antonio. We wondered how long their school would stay open and worried that maybe Halloween and Thanksgiving and Christmas would be quite different this year as well. We finished our time together with virtual hugs and a thankfulness that we were able to get together but a sense of regret that our time together went by so quickly and in such a strange way. 

What I generally observed in my time on the road is an effort to keep things as normal as possible even as they are so obviously abnormal. We will talk about this time for the rest of our lives. We can only hope that we are handling it the way that we should. These are strange days indeed.

Somebody Needs You Today

Published on by Sharron BurnettLeave a comment

Even in normal circumstances there are many stressors that threaten our mental well being. Depression is not just a controllable reaction to ordinary life. It is a disease that often requires treatment. Quite sadly society still tends to see it as a kind of weakness in those whom it afflicts. Far too many believe that dealing with depression is little more than a matter of changing one’s attitude, thinking positive thoughts, trusting in God. They believe that depression is a kind of selfishness that only occurs because the person afflicted with it is unwilling to “get a grip.” Depression as other mental illnesses is still hidden and all too often viewed so negatively that it is barred from open discussion. We will listen to someone describing a heart attack and even support them as they recover but we tend to squirm uncomfortably in conversations about depression. 

Depressed people often feel abandoned, alone and misunderstood. They fear mentioning their illness lest the lose jobs or friendships. Society values strength of character so highly that depressed persons are wary of mentioning their affliction, often making excuses for their absences. They too often live in a world darkened even more by the white lies that they tell to hide their affliction. 

I recall the furor that occurred in a presidential election when it was discovered that one of the vice presidential candidates had been treated for depression. Rather than applauding him for seeking treatment he was derided as someone who would be unfit for the job. The backlash was horrific and set back mental health even more than it already was. Ironically few people were aware that one of our greatest presidents, Abraham Lincoln, suffered from depression that was so extreme that he had a breakdown after the death of a person who had been very special to him. 

Of late famous individuals are courageously stepping out of the shadows of depression and speaking of their own journeys with the disease. Michael Phelps is one the most notable among them. He has become a spokesperson and advocate for seeking medical help when darkness of the mind becomes crushing. He has now admitted to being plagued by crippling depression for most of his life. He had moments when he was so sick that he seriously considered killing himself even as he was one of the most celebrated athletes in the world. It was only when his pain became unbearable that he sought the medical therapies that he needed to feel whole and healthy again. 

During this time of pandemic depression is on the rise. It is often triggered by stress and uncertainty or extreme changes of normal routines. It knows no demographic limits. it can affect young and old, poor and wealthy. No doubt it is reaching into thousands of households as individuals deal with the threat of illness, loss of jobs, dwindling incomes, concerns about sending children to school, fears of eviction, struggles with the deaths of loved ones. The world is being slammed to an extent rarely endured and depression is spreading suffering on a scale that we rarely see. 

In a recent podcast Michelle Obama spoke of her own sadness during the pandemic. Even though her situation is safe and secure she has been troubled and worried by what she sees happening to so many Americans. She realizes that there is a kind of national grief that so many of us are experiencing. Sometimes the brain chemistry that creates those dark feelings gets out of hand and the level of depression becomes unbearable. She urged all of us to reach out to those that we know and love, not just in emails and texts and posts on Facebook but with phone calls and face to face conferences.

We need human contact even as we require social distances. Behind our masks are psychological needs that grow into physical illnesses of the mind if we do not care for ourselves. As someone who is an unreserved advocate for mental health I know how dire depression can become if left untreated. Many times I watched my mother devolve into a paralyzing darkness that literally led her to a state of psychosis. Time and again I had to force her to accept medical attention that she desperately needed. I implore everyone to watch for signs of distress in both themselves and those they love. Do not hesitate to reach out for help. Contact friends. Contact doctors. Do not ignore the signs. Depression is a treatable disease. 

It is incumbent upon each and every one of us to be as vigilant about depression as we are with Covid-19. The virus is creating havoc in often unseen ways. We have to wear our masks and follow the guidelines for social distancing but we also need to support one another emotionally. If the government will not provide security for those who are in dangerous economic situations then those of us fortunate enough to be okay need to find someone who is not and adopt them. Nobody should be thrown to the wolves during this time. It is up to all of us to provide support, love and understanding. Somebody needs you today. 

Teaching An Old Dog New Tricks

Published on by Sharron BurnettLeave a comment

adult black pug
Photo by Charles on Pexels.com

I am a planner, a controller, a doer. I usually fill up my calendar and keep myself organized and busy. I’m like the energizer bunny on steroids. I make my bed each morning and put everything away in its place each evening. I know what I am going to do and how I will accomplish it weeks in advance. I rarely waste a single minute of each day even in retirement. Suddenly my way of living for a lifetime has been upended. My calendar is empty. I’ve come to fully appreciate my mother’s mantra of “God willing” when agreeing to any future activities. Covid-19 has forced me more than any other event in my life to slow down and smell the roses. 

I now allow myself to stay awake until 2:00 in the morning if something catches my interest late at night. I no longer feel guilty about sleeping until 9:00 in the morning or staying in my pajamas until noon. I eat ice cream and make banana bread instead of worrying about my waistline. I have not used makeup since February. The only time I wear shoes is when I’m walking on my treadmill or working in the yard. I “attend” mass on Sundays in jeans and baggy t-shirts. I get great joy out of very small things like a strikingly lovely bumble bee who hovers over my hibiscus bush or the family of cardinals that feast at my bird feeder. I enjoy the laughter of the children playing in my neighborhood as much as the sound of a symphony. I celebrate the mere act of waking up each morning and still being virus free. 

It’s not easy to set aside a lifetime of habits. Nothing before made me change my ways, not even retirement. I measured the success of my day by the number of my accomplishments. I judged myself on the miles that I walked, the pages that I wrote, the places that I went. As I erased my future plans one by one from my calendar I became less and less sad. They were just ways of filling the time, small sacrifices compared to the ones that so many people have been making. I realized that nothing that I did was as important as doing my part to help slow the spread of Covid 19. That meant curtailing my usual activities and being conservative in my outings and contacts with people. 

I’ve had to find ways to make my quietly mundane days bearable. In doing that I slowed my pace and learned to revel in silence. I have always struggled with the idea of meditation because my mind seems always to be racing. In the past many weeks I have enjoyed sitting and listening to my own breathing. I have felt the pulsating beat of my heart. I have noticed the wind and the birds and rain falling on the pavement. I have felt a greater appreciation of just being alive.

I would love to go back to church and sit among the people there. I want to get my hair trimmed and enjoy a pedicure. I long to hug the members of my family and my dear friends. I want to travel again before I grow so old that I am no longer able to walk for miles exploring new places. I dream of  being able to visit my aunts and uncle who are in nursing homes once again. I miss having tea time with my niece. I find that there is little else that I now want to do. I don’t need to shop or eat out or go to a movie theater. I don’t want to run around all day doing things that I may accomplish inside my home. Covid 19 has allowed me to think deeply about what is most important. 

I am happy to do my part to help end this tragic occurrence that has so changed our world. I still teach my little band of students remotely. I wear my mask willingly. I order my groceries through Instacart and give the workers who bring them to me very generous tips because I so appreciate what they doing. I get most of everything else I need from Amazon or by purchasing from other online vendors. I support local restaurants by getting take out now and again. I mostly take rides for diversion rather than mixing it up with people in enclosed spaces. I’ve already signed up for voting by mail to insure that I will be able to cast my vote in November no matter what the state of things may be.  

They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks but somehow Covid 19 has managed to do that for me. In a strange way it has actually made me more aware and thankful. Nonetheless I feel great sadness for those who have been so hurt by this sometimes deadly virus. I cry at the news of a teenager losing both of his parents or the story of an elderly couple dying on the same day. It is difficult to see Covid 19 as anything other than a great tragedy. I pray constantly that an end to all of the suffering will come sooner rather than later. I pray that each of us will do whatever it takes to make that happen. I pray that we will never forget how dependent we are on one another. I pray that I will spend however many days and years I have left on this earth always remembering what is truly important. 

 

Leadership

Published on by Sharron BurnettLeave a comment

antique antique globe antique shop antique store
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

 

My mama would never forget the calm that Franklin Delano Roosevelt and his wife Eleanor brought to the American people during World War II. She often spoke of gathering around the radio to listen to updates, encouragement and calls for a national effort from the president. She quite proudly outlined the many sacrifices that citizens made and the overall unity of purpose that spread across the land. She would get quite emotional when describing how things were and she always ended such remembrances with tears as she described how she felt when President Roosevelt died. 

My mother also held up Eleanor Roosevelt as an exemplar of womanhood. I suppose that I grew up admiring this wonderful First Lady because of my mom’s influence. Mama told me about Ms. Roosevelt’s intelligence and compassion. I would later learn even more about this remarkable woman in books and documentaries. She was the favorite niece of Theodore Roosevelt and her influence on her husband and our country was profound. 

I’ve had a fascination with the era of World War II when my mother was still just a teenager. My interest in life during that time only increased when my mother-in-law told me stories that added to my knowledge of the incredible efforts made by ordinary people to help in the battle against Germany and Japan. In the face of early losses the American people remained determined to support the Allied Forces even if it meant enduring great privation. 

I suppose that I have always believed that the American people are living heroes and people of great selflessness and resolve. Even as I see a deterioration of those important values I am not yet ready to accept that we have somehow lost our willingness to work for a common good even when it is difficult. I still see incredible resolve and compassion in the work of our medical community that is being battered by Covid 19. In spite of the dangers and the exhausting schedules they return day after day to save lives even as they hear whispers that they are somehow hiding information or cures from us. 

I see our nation’s teachers preparing for a new school year that will most certainly be wrought with problems. In spite of concerns for the health and safety of themselves and their students they are gearing up with masks and face shields and disinfectant in the hopes of keeping everyone safe. They are marching into the unknown with the resolve to educate our children and allow parents to return to work even as they know the dangers that may lurk ahead. 

Our first responders continue to answer calls for help never quite knowing what they may encounter. Already their ranks have been thinned by the virus and sadly some of their comrades have died. Still they do their jobs just as they have been trained to do. 

The vast majority of citizens want to help beat back the virus. They wear masks, ignoring their discomfort in support of a cause bigger than themselves. they keep their interactions with others to a minimum, avoiding crowds and large gatherings. They are very conscious and respectful of other people’s needs. They listen to their doctors and follow guidelines in the hopes of keeping Covid 19 at bay. 

So why is there still so much pushback in the country and a rapidly growing feeling that Covid 19 is out of control? I suspect that the problem lies in a lack of proper leadership. More than  anything we need to see politics set aside and a united effort from national, state and local offices. A successful program will have to begin at the very top with honesty and compassion, not efforts to undo safety measures or cater to a fringe group that is unhappy. Here a a few suggestions for our president:

  • If we should all wear masks then make it a nationwide program and lead the effort by modeling mask wearing behavior whenever you are in a public gathering. 
  • Give us the data without boasts about how much better we are than other countries. This is not a contest. 
  • Help us to believe that you actually care. Do not dismiss the suffering by noting that most old people and those with underlying health issues are the ones who are dying while it’s just like sniffles for everyone else. 
  • Have some earnest compassion without ever drawing comparisons or using the “I” word. 
  • Support governors and mayors regardless of party affiliation. Help them rather than pointing out their faults.
  • Ask the First Lady to speak to us as well. She is a charming woman who seems to have a genuinely kind heart. Allow her to show it in ways other than redoing the  White House garden.
  • Ask the members of your base who are ignoring the guidelines to join in the united efforts. They will listen to you and do whatever you ask of them.
  • Help us to believe that doing the right thing is more important to than winning the election.
  • Bring us together so that we can be the kind of Americans  who helped the world the eliminate the tyrants of World War II. Let us join the rest of the world in defeating Covid-19, not to win glory for ourselves but to save lives everywhere in a spirit of cooperation.
  • In other words, pull us together like FDR did. 
  • Be a true leader and we will follow.

I want to make America great again. I want a leader who is sincerely working for the good of all  of us. Is that too much to ask?