Category: Commentary

To Do Or Not To Do?

Published on by Sharron BurnettLeave a comment

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On the whole we humans have been mostly very good during our isolation from life. We’ve generally been up to the challenge of staying home to keep everyone as safe from Covid-19 as possible even when we believe that we ourselves are strong and healthy enough to overcome the dreaded virus.

Our response to the cause has reminded me of the first days of a new school year which always seem to be filled with great enthusiasm and good intentions. Everyone shows up in the beginning with new supplies and clothing and dedication. It’s easy to spot the bad eggs who may eventually be difficult because they seem to have cynical expressions permanently tattooed on their faces. They are few and far between so there is not much worry about them from the start. It’s easy to redirect one person when everyone else is agreeing to the rules and procedures.

It doesn’t take long for the students and teachers to settle into a mutually acceptable routine but invariably a few weeks down the road there are signs of trouble. Many of the homework assignments begin to look as though they have been half-heartedly completed. Those new clothes give way to sloppier versions of themselves. That kid who was worrisome on day one is causally fomenting a bit more unrest within the student body. Teachers have to work much harder to keep the interest and the magic alive. Everyone begins to look tired.

I see this same phenomenon happening in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. The novelty of staying home and waiting for the danger to pass is wearing thin. Many are growing more and more anxious to resume their lives and less and less inclined to believe that there is any sort of clear and present danger that requires the stringent measures that have so changed our lives. Many have begun to question whether we ever needed to hide behind closed doors to defeat the virus. As the numbers of sick and dying slow down across the globe the general resolve to do whatever it takes is turning into doubt that there ever was a problem as big as experts predicted. Many are beginning to shift their focus from listening to the public health professionals to paying more attention to politicians, pundits and prognosticators who tell them that the curative measures we have been following may in the end be worse than the virus.

I’ve noticed of late that people have become less and less inclined to want to read detailed scientific articles on the latest research into the pandemic. Instead they are more prone to enjoying jokes and happy photos. I suspect that this is a kind of coping mechanism that helps them, but the growing indifference to analyzing what is actually happening in the situation might lead to abrupt decisions that are not in the best interest of everyone. It’s important for each of us to stay as well informed as possible to protect ourselves and others no matter how painful it may be to learn about the facts.

The problem that we face is all the uncertainty. Nobody is able to predict what this virus is going to do. We don’t know enough about it yet. We have no idea whether it will simply burn itself out or return with a vengeance at a later date. We do not have proof that those who have recovered from Covid-19 are now immune, but we certainly hope they are. We have seen how devastating the virus can be in places like Italy, Spain, New York City but in some parts of the world it almost appears that the virus is absent. In spite of all of the data analysis, genetic mapping, and work to invent a vaccine nobody can speak about this disease with any degree of certitude and therein lies the greatest danger.

“To do or not to do?” has become our most important question. If we guess wrong millions may die from the virus. If we guess wrong millions may die from the ravages of an economic downturn. If we guess wrong both things may happen. It’s like playing a game of Russian Roulette with the entire populations of the world.

At the very moment when the stakes are so high too many have lost all interest in hearing the varying arguments for or against this tactic or that. Many want the freedom to decide for themselves and to hell with all of the experts with their dreary warnings. The shine of patience has worn thin. Getting back to the parks and the parties, the restaurants and the ball games, the jobs and the vacations, the normal way of doing things is screaming a siren call that is hard for many to ignore. After all some believe that our efforts amount to much ado about nothing.

I honestly don’t know what to think, but I keep reading and exploring all of the available information that I can find. For now my intent is to stay inside my home until there is more credible proof that resuming my usual routines will not be lethal to me, my family or my friends. I admittedly have the luxury of waiting this out because I am retired but I fully understand why others who still depend on jobs to maintain their households are anxious to resume their work. Nonetheless, we should proceed with caution.

We don’t need to send all of the children back to school for a few remaining weeks. I side with all of the teachers’ organizations that are urging that we continue the remote learning until the end of May and then give all students pass/fail reports and spend the summer convening via Zoom or other platforms to plan for the fall and a new beginning.

I also believe that those who have been effective working from home should continue to do so for the time being. The fewer people we put back onto the roadways and inside offices, the better. Instead, slowly bring back the people whose jobs require them to be present who have been unable to work for weeks but do so with extreme precautions.

My nephew has ninety five electricians working for him in critical jobs that have not ceased during the lockdown. Each day that they report they must undergo screening that includes checking their temperatures and asking them medical questions before they are allowed to enter the sites. They wear N95 masks while they perform their duties and they must regularly wash their hands at stations that have been set up in multiple locations. They are urged to change out of their work clothes before they enter their homes and wash the articles immediately so that they do not inadvertently bring disease to their families. So far the protocols have worked well. I suggest that we make such routines part of any attempts to get people back to work.

I keep hearing grumbles about rights and freedoms that are supposedly being taken away. To those who believe such things I would remind them that our rights are often curtailed for the good of society as a whole. We can win this war against the pandemic, but only if we remain cautious and willing to sacrifice. This will pass and hopefully we will be able to point with pride to the decisions that we made. In the meantime those that don’t need to leave their homes should stay put.

The Passing of a Brother

Published on by Sharron BurnettLeave a comment

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I grew up on Belmark Street in southeast Houston in a neighborhood called Overbrook back in the nineteen fifties and sixties. We were a close knit community then. Many of us went to the same church and Catholic School, Mt. Carmel. People were relatively settled during that era so I generally had the same folks living around me from the time I was eight years old until I graduated from high school in 1966. Nonetheless I fondly remember a time when new family moved into a home one street over from ours.

The Hulin family immediately fascinated me because it was somewhat like my own in that it was not typical of the times. While I lived with a single parent mom, the Hulins lived with their father and grandmother. The two kids were Patrick and Sandy and to my delight they were close to me in age, in fact Pat or “Bud’ as his family called him was in the same grade as I was. My mom almost instantly became close to Pat and Sandy’s grandmother and so it wasn’t long before I was climbing the back fence to go visit the wonderful new people who had so pleasantly arrived in our little subdivision.

The Hulin family welcomed me with open arms and I felt so comfortable around them that I rather quickly developed little crush on Pat much like thirteen year olds are prone to do. He was a rather nice looking guy with a very sweet smile and a friendly nature. In the end however I decided that Pat might be better as a brother because I dreamed of his dad and my mom getting together and making us a family. I couldn’t think of anything nicer than having a fabulous brother like Pat and a real sister like Sandy. I even adored Pat’s grandmother so my fantasies included her as well.

I remember a summer just before my eighth grade year when Mr. Hulin took me swimming with Pat and Sandy at a club pool to which they belonged. When he learned that I was a nervous swimmer he worked patiently to help me improve my skills and Pat was my biggest cheerleader. Pat was literally the first young man my age around whom I felt totally at ease aside from my male cousins. He had a very calming presence and a way of making me feel relaxed and happy. I viewed him as a wonderful friend.

In the eighth grade Pat had a little romantic fling with one of my best mates. I was happy that they got together but I saw less and less of Pat after that. Once we both started high school our opportunities to get together seemed to be even more limited. We were all placed with a certain group of students who became somewhat like a small school within a school for all four years. I rarely had interactions with Pat during the academic day and once I got home I was always busy with studying.

Even though Pat and Sandy and the rest of their family were only a block away we slowly grew apart. I was too old to climb fences and never seemed to make the time to walk all the way around to the next block but I kept a very warm feeling about Pat in my heart because he and the Hulins had always been so hospitable and kind. Of course, I also set aside my fantasy that we would somehow become a family when I realized that my mom and Pat’s dad were not interested in being anything more than friends.

After high school I busied myself with new adventures at college. By the time I was nearing my twentieth birthday I had married my sweetheart Mike and moved away. I never heard much about Pat Hulin or his sister until the fiftieth reunion of my high school class of 1966. I saw Pat for the first time then and he was was as amiable as ever but not doing well health wise. I applauded his courage in dealing with the issues that were so obviously plaguing him but I worried because he appeared to be so unwell.

We only had a passing opportunity to greet each other. There was so much going on that night but I really wanted to know more about him and find out what he had been doing during all of those years that we had not seen each other. I still thought of what a wonderful brother he would have made but I knew it would have seemed silly to tell him so. Those were of course the fantastical dreams of a thirteen year old and not to be taken seriously so far down the road of life.

I’ve become Facebook friends with Pat’s sister Sandy over time and I have enjoyed seeing how well she is doing. It was with great sorrow that I recently read a post from her announcing that Pat had died. The tributes that members of our Class of ’66 have written all confirmed what I had always known about Pat Hulin. He was indeed a very sweet person and I believe a courageous one as well. I wish that the times were not so unusual because I would surely travel to participate in his funeral or memorial even though it would be in the next state over. It would be just like climbing the fence back when we were kids.

I have no doubt that Patrick Hulin is with the angels. He had earned his wings a long time ago when he was so gentlemanly and kind to a little girl who needed a good friend to be like a brother. I hope that he is enjoying his beautiful reward in heaven. He is someone who really deserves an eternity of happiness and good health.

Who Are You Staying Home For?

Published on by Sharron BurnettLeave a comment

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Governor Andrew Cuomo of New York created a campaign called “Who Are You Staying Home For?” It puts the rationale for our stay at home advisories into perspective because there are valid reasons for each of us to isolate not just for ourselves but for the good of someone else. It got me to thinking about my intentions for keeping to myself for almost five weeks now.

I have to admit that I do not wish to contract Covid-19. I tend to believe that if I were to do so I would survive just fine, but I don’t know that for sure. Exposing myself to the virus would be a kind of Russian roulette that our healthcare workers are forced to endure on a daily basis. They don’t need another case to deal with and so it would be incredibly selfish of me to flaunt the directives and potentially place myself in harms way. So I stay home for all of the dedicated individuals who are responding so valiantly to caring for those unfortunate souls who have somehow caught the virus. I hope that somehow I and others might lighten their load if we manage to stay well.

I’ve also been quite worried about my husband, Mike. He only recently had surgery to correct major blockage in the arteries of his heart. He is doing well but I believe that if he were to catch Covid-19 it would be quite dangerous. He’s seventy two years old with heart disease, a combination that does not bode well for anyone who comes down with the virus. I am vigilantly staying away from any situation that might be a source of the disease. I order all of my groceries and when they arrive I have a routine for disinfecting them that I use religiously. My hands are cracked and quite ugly from all of the washing to which I have subjected them. I am obsessively compulsive about taking all of the precautions quite soberly knowing that if I get flippant and catch Covid-19 there is a good chance that I will infect Mike.

I’m staying home for the people that I have never met who might accidentally catch the virus from me if I become infected and travel brazenly around my neighborhood and my city. I don’t want to be that person who spreads disease because I am unwilling to be careful. I don’t want to be someone who assumes that we are being duped into a draconian situation that is based on some grand hoax. If I flaunt the rules and I am wrong I will only be complicit in prolonging society’s suffering. I’m staying home so that we have a chance at getting back to normal sooner rather than later.

I’m staying home because I truly believe that God has given us the intellect to know what we must do not just to save ourselves but also as many of our fellow humans as possible. He has placed many brilliant doctors and scientists in our midst who believe that if we can flatten the curve of contagion there will be fewer lives lost. Why would I not listen to the experts? Why would I be so arrogant as to believe that without any knowledge of viruses and medicine I know more than those who have studied these things?

I’m staying home for my children and grandchildren so that they will have one less person to worry about because I know that they are indeed concerned about me. I want them to be confident that I am going to be fine because I am not taking any unnecessary risks. Staying inside my house is a very small sacrifice to provide them with a greater sense of well being.

I’m staying home because this virus really is novel. There is so much more that we must learn about it. I want the rise of emergencies to subside enough that those who study such things will have more time to discover the secrets of Covid-19. We have to know exactly how it works and what if anything is capable of stopping it both before and after it happens. I want to help clear the hospital decks so that this kind of work can commence without interruption.

I’m staying home because I know that it is the right thing to do. I understand that sometimes my liberties must be secondary to the good of all. I may have a right to be cavalier but if doing so endangers others then I am wrong to insist on bucking the system.

I’m staying home so that those who have lost their jobs may possibly get back to work sooner rather than later. I understand that we must all make sacrifices and be willing to help each other even when we are once again allowed to emerge into the outside world.. There will be much need for support and I want to be healthy and ready to do my part.

Who are you staying home for?

A Message For All Time

Published on by Sharron BurnettLeave a comment

Jesus

This is Holy Week in the Christian world, a time to remember the death and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. His was a story that changed the world and is embraced to this very day by millions across the globe. After weeks of sacrifice and good works during Lent we pause to consider Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem when people lined the streets to see him, laying precious palm leaves in his path as a sign of respect and adulation. This no doubt only added to the concern of political forces who worried that his growing popularity might lead to rebellion and so the time seemed right to convict him with trumped up charges of crimes against the state.

Of course Jesus saw it coming and told his apostles in a final gathering that one among them would betray him. It was Judas Iscariot who led the Roman soldiers to Jesus by identifying him with a kiss. The trial was swift and the punishment was brutal. Jesus was nailed to a cross alongside other criminals. His pain was excruciating and his captors taunted him with commands that he prove his divinity by coming down from the cross. His apostles meanwhile were hiding behind locked doors, afraid that they too might be captured and found guilty of their association with him. Only Jesus’ mother, Mary Magdalene, a cousin and a kind stranger stood at the foot of the cross to watch him die. All seemed dark and unbearable after the triumphs of the past. His followers must have wondered if they had been fooled, if it was all over.

Three days later when the tomb was opened Jesus was gone. His apostles still hiding were told that their prophet and savior had risen from the dead. From that moment forward the story of Jesus spread throughout the world until today Christians around the globe continue to celebrate the glory of his life and his word.

Of course we know that many did not then and do not now believe that Jesus was a savior, the son of God. Some have their own alternate prophets and beliefs. Some continue to wait patiently for the true savior to come. Others do not believe in any form of higher power, thinking it foolish to even consider the idea a being who watches over us and guides us in our behavior toward one another. They think of prayers and religious ceremonies as silliness. The world is made of believers and nonbelievers of every sort. We humans have often injected our personal thoughts and feelings onto the teachings of religion or disbelief. Little wonder that the whole idea of Jesus as God is confusing to some.

I am a Catholic, a member of a religious group that some believe is not Christian, although I can’t imagine why such a differentiation would be made. Mine was the first organized church to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ. Over time there were those who began to question the direction of Catholicism and so they made efforts to reform Christianity by creating new sects. The variety that evolved from such efforts makes it clear that even among those of us who strive to adhere to the teachings of Jesus there can be great differences in how we react to and interpret his words. Somehow just as with nation building we humans have complicated the most basic essence of Jesus which he so very clearly iterated and reiterated while he still walked on the earth.

Jesus represented a new way of thinking and doing things and his message did not involve thousands of little dictums and instructions. He made his message very simple by example and word. We are to love one another, not just those who think and act and look like us, but everyone. That is essentially all we need to know. It does not take a magnificent cathedral or a list of rules to follow his example, but he showed us that following his commandment of love may be difficult. Our intentions may be misunderstood and like him we may be abused for our beliefs. We will endure hardship and suffering just as he did. The miracle of Jesus is not found in riches or success or lack of difficulties but in the comfort that he provides us with his teachings and his love. He did not come down from the cross to save himself because he wanted us to know that part of our humanity requires enduring difficulties.  He helped us to understand that the rewards for following his commandment to love will be immeasurable but not in the usual ways that we interpret good fortune.

As the world struggles with a virus that has changed our lives in ways that are daunting to comprehend it is fitting that we think of Jesus from behind our locked doors in the safely of our homes just as his apostles did so long ago. He would want us to think of all of the people on the earth with love and compassion. The best way to honor him and his teachings is not found in judging one another but only in love. Our prayers should focus not on asking for special favors from him but on pleading that we have the courage to always do what is right and just. The glory of the Easter message lies in hope and a determination to continue to follow the goodness of Jesus throughout our lives. He is with us in all things, even our darkest hours. The cup of agony was not lifted from him and so too must we cope with this moment doing our best to remember all of humankind and its salvation, not just our own. He taught us the way to live and in doing so became a light for all the world.

In this holy Easter season I pray that those who feel lost will find comfort. I pray that those who are hated will find love. I pray that the sick will be healed. I pray that the doctors and nurses and first responders and all people engaged in the fight against Covid-19 will be honored and supported for being the finest possible examples of the kind of people that Jesus asked us to be. May this be a glorious Easter in which we love and respect all people just as Jesus would have done. Go forth and be kind.

I See You, Moms

Published on by Sharron BurnettLeave a comment

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After my father died I rarely spoke to school mates about my family’s situation but one day at recess one of my friends asked me what I would do if my mother also died. I fielded her question rather deftly and bravely by insisting that my Aunt Valeria would take care of me. When my classmate persisted in her interrogation by suggesting that I would probably end up in an orphanage I parlayed by boasting that my aunt already had an extra bed in her home which was proof to me that she would never allow me to be taken away. My false bravado hid the very real fear that my buddy’s analysis of my situation was actually be more accurate than I was willing to admit. I was only eight years old and I had two younger brothers. In the silence of my heart I worried that if anything ever happened to our mother we would be split up as a family and sent who knows where.

I’ve been seeing and hearing comments from a number of single mothers who are deeply concerned about becoming ill with Covid-19. They worry openly about what might become of their little ones if such a dreaded thing were to come to pass. I have felt their anxiety in a visceral way because it was only after I too became a mother that I realized the enormous burden that my mother carried in wondering what would happen to me and my brothers if she were to somehow become incapacitated.

Mothers are struggling with this virus not just because of the many responsibilities that they are juggling, but from the very nature of their love for their children. Whether the kids are babies or grown adults protective maternal instincts are in full force and being stressed by the uncertainties of the situation. While I witness valiant efforts on the parts of mothers across the globe I also feel the underlying terror that many of them are feeling.

As the days in isolation continue and the stories of the sick and dying increase I also hear of moms wondering out loud if their best efforts to keep their children safe and calm will be enough. Even the most confident among the women that I know are wavering and worrying. In the past week I have begun to get messages late at night from mothers who feel the earth moving under their feet and need some reassurance that they are really doing the best for their children.

I’ve lost count of the women that I know who have been laid off from their jobs in the middle of all the chaos. They are genuinely worried about losing their homes or their cars and they know that quickly finding new employment is unthinkable now that they have their children at home all day. They rely on the kindness of family and friends but worry that at some point they will be on their own with few prospects for rebuilding secure lives for themselves and for their children. Because they do not want to frighten their youngsters they remain calm and carry on during the day only allowing themselves to fall apart when everyone else has fallen asleep. That’s when I get the dire texts from them asking if I know of any resources to which they might turn.

It’s difficult enough to be a mother in the most normal of times. It’s incredibly challenging during a rare moment like the one in which we now find ourselves. Few of the usual avenues of support are available right now. All of the social ministries are flooded with requests for help. Getting a phone conference with a doctor takes some doing. Even the churches are somewhat locked down.

I see and hear those moms. I know the intensity of the love that they have for their children. I understand their worries and I want to speak to them from the point of view of their little ones because I have been there before. I was a child who relied so totally on my mother. I knew that she was the everything in our household, the only adult who had to play every role. She was not perfect but in my eyes she was a saint because I saw that she was devoting herself to me and my brothers. I realized that we were the center of her universe even when she was working or going to college to earn a degree. I knew that her entire life was focused on making us feel safe and loved.

I see and hear all of the moms and they remind me so much of my mother. I know that they are amazing women whose children will never forget the sacrifices that they are making. In fact I suspect that one day their kids will view them exactly the way I saw my mother, heroes who kept them safe and secure. I want to tell them to be kind to themselves and to rest easy each night in the assurance that the lessons they are teaching their children are beautiful and never to be forgotten.

Take care all of you mothers. You are the bedrock in an uneasy time. You’ve got this and so do your children. Nobody needs perfect, all they need is love and you have an endless supply of that to spread around.