Stories Collected While Living in France

French la Vie

We Still Have to do the Hike

  

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This quote was on a friend’s Facebook, it resounded in me so I thought I would share it.

After these endless days that have turned into weeks, that have stretched into months with no end in sight some of us are shifting our position and some of us are wondering what is next to stay safe shelter if we can or to venture out occasionally or to just get on with it. 

When I go out my senses are heightened, I am anxious which is a feeling a rarely entertain and when I see someone I know I become awkward not knowing what I should do as I am a hugger I feel the urge to hug, and at the same time the desire to hide. I do not hug anymore which is understandable and disappointing, I back up instead and feel guilty for not trusting. 

Someone recently told me I have to get out, get going, and live outside of my safety zone. I stood speechless. I asked if she believed in herd immunity which I added is as far off as a vaccine. She said she didn’t know about that, doesn’t follow the news, but chances are we are all going to get it so we might as well get it and get over it. Still dumbfounded by my friend’s calm demeanor I asked if she was afraid of becoming desperately sick and possibly dying? She rolled her eyes most people get sick a little and move on.

I replied I could stay safe and didn’t want to take a chance of being the one who would need a ventilator.

My friend waved her arms, I am so over this. It is not that big of a deal.

Division without wanting it so. 

It is surreal. 

Stay safe if you want.

Go out and follow the guidelines.

Do what you think is right.

But please be kind.

 

 

 

Comments

18 responses to “We Still Have to do the Hike”

  1. Diogenes

    This race will be about endurance: a marathon, not a sprint. The patient tortoise that stays in its safety zone wins.

    Reply
  2. Jeanne

    Everyone follows their own guidelines. I always follow caution and try and keep everyone well.
    Be kind always you are right
    Love Jeanne

    Reply
  3. Lil

    Some will tell you the virus is no big deal. It is. It is killing over 1800 people each day just in the U.S. I don’t want myself or any of my loved ones getting so sick or dying so we will continue to be careful.
    My son sent me this from the internet…
    Did previous civilizations deal with whiners like this?
    “Man, we’ve gotta open the gates.”
    “We’ve been through this, Phil. The Mongols are still outside.”
    “But I’ve gotta harvest my turnips”
    “MONGOLS”
    “Ugh. But we’ve been in here or WEEKS.”
    “That’s how sieges work, Phil.”
    “But the Mongols have barely killed anyone in days.”
    “That’s because of the walls, Phil.”
    “Are you sure? Maybe the Mongols aren’t that dangerous.”
    “…”
    “I’m just saying, how bad could it be. They can’t kill ALL of us”
    “That is literally the thing they do.”
    “But my turnips…”

    Reply
  4. Kathy K

    Stay the course you are on Corey. When I was studying for the bar exam, one of the instructors at the review coursetold us that most people fail because of their performance in the afternoon of the last day. The test takers are tired, they want to be done with the test. And they get sloppy. And they fail.
    I know a lot of people who are like the person you encountered. Maybe they will be fortunate. Maybe they won’t. But I have never been much of a gambler, especially with my life.

    Reply
  5. Annette (Toni) Mason

    Dear Corey,
    I hear your pain…I too feel the need to stay safe and follow the science. If you or I were living in a big city or any urban area we would be the norm…if one doesn’t listen to an evening or morning news program or read a newspaper it is quite obvious they would throw their hands it the air and say “no big deal”. My prayer is that everyone would get on the same page, be informed, so we could all protect humankind. Stay safe my friend, kiss your Mom for me.

    Reply
  6. NANCY

    I am staying as safe as I can. I want to live a good, long life to watch my only grandchild grow up. Unlike your friend, I do not downplay this virus. Perhaps she has not had a good friend of her own age suffer for an agonizing month on a ventilator in a hospital 100 miles from her home and family, only to die alone from Covid-19. And she gave the virus to her husband and son but they recovered. She died not knowing if they had or not as she was sedated, fighting for her life. I am not a fear monger but I am not a pollyanna neither.

    Reply
  7. Kathie B

    “I could stay safe and didn’t want to take a chance of being the one who would need a ventilator.”
    I think the one thing even worse than that would be to take a chance on being the one who caused anyone else (including a loved one) to need a ventilator.

    Reply
  8. Susan

    I love this saying about the Hike.
    Being Kind is always a good idea:)
    BTW, the first time I noticed what a nice guy my husband was – a few months before we started dating – he was kind to me on a group hike. And shared the oranges he brought along. Thanks for jogging my memory this morning.
    Be safe and well, Corey!

    Reply
  9. Angela Vular

    I am staying safe and continuing to follow the stricter guidelines. I have I have 3 sons and they are following the guidelines also. Two live near me and I haven’t seen them. We talk on the phone. My other son lives in California with his wife and my 4 yr. old granddaughter. We FaceTime. I won’t be seeing my granddaughter for who knows how long. We will stay the course until things get way better! Praying that they will. Yes, I agree, be kind above all else! I’m a teacher and so worried about the fall start of the school year. Without a vaccine, I don’t see how we can possibly keep our students safe, as well as, the rest of the school community. Take care and stay safe & healthy.

    Reply
  10. Niki Weippert

    Living in Kansas, I find the majority of people do not wear masks. If I go anywhere, I always wear mine. I find I only go out when I definitely need something. No more strolling the aisles of Hobby Lobby. I don’t understand people who do not take the virus seriously. I’ve heard several friends talk about families getting together for Mother’s Day. My family got together on Zoom. I think most people won’t take this virus seriously until someone they know gets seriously ill.

    Reply
  11. Judy Antczak

    I have given up on understanding the aggressiveness of folk, which is encouraged by the current administration. Caution and kindness are the indication of having a soul. Disregard for how we can affect others indicates a serious lack of humanity. Wearing a mask is such a tiny little concession in light of the benefits of wearing it. I remain daily baffled at the sight of people carrying guns and frothing at the mouth about their rights and entitlements. In my lifetime, I have never felt such disgust at the state of America, and my biggest fear is jeopardizing my salvation because of the dire things I wish on those aggressive duplicitous folk.

    Reply
  12. Ann of Avodale

    History repeats itself. The Spanish Flu killed one third of the global population until they realized social distancing was absolutely necessary. Whole countries had to shut down to contain it. It took some countries between 3-7 years to get the economy going again after the shut down.
    Today this virus has the potential to spread like wild fire and needs containment. Everyone should be wearing a mask when they go out and practice social distancing. Those who are feeling sick should stay home. But many people don’t believe we have a pandemic. They say it’s just a flu virus but it is a deadly virus not a normal flu bug.
    We can wear our masks, wash our hands often and never touch our face, eyes or nose. We must honor social distancing at all times. I’m going to follow this for a couple of years. I like the story of a 94 yr. old woman who got the covid virus and survived it. She attributes it to her potato soup as the reason she was able to fight it. So add fresh, healthy food to the list. Being and staying healthy is my goal. Oh and faith, prayer, love, and hope is part of the mix.
    Take care everyone.

    Reply
  13. Elizabeth Schaeffer

    Simple. Go out and be gracious by wearing a mask in stores. In 1968-1968 the Asian flu killed a million people world wide. I was 25 years old. My friends and I had no recollection ofit at all. You really can’t let healthy people who need to desperately work stay at home until when?? There may never be a vaccine. The flu shot doesn’t guarantee you won’t get the flu. Move on, look up and smile. The huge majority have mild symptoms and recover well. Heck, if you were sick last Fall as some of my neighbors have recalled, it might have been Covid. Risk thoughtfully taken is life💖🥰👍

    Reply
  14. carol

    If I had no concerns for myself , I would still care about others. I would feel terrible if I gave this virus to others and caused their deaths due to a cavalier attitude. That’s one way to be kind. I will continue to stay in as much as possible, as I too want to see my sweet grandchild grow up. There are so many not wearing a mask where I am and the numbers show it. I hope that people will try to be thoughtful and follow the guidelines when they go out so that they protect themselves and others. I hope that your friend realizes that by staying safe you are at least respecting others. If our choices aren’t hurting anyone else then we are free to do what we will, but when free will starts endangering the lives of others then maybe it shouldn’t be so free. Take care everyone and stay healthy.

    Reply
  15. Kathie B

    Corey, some people seem impervious to learning. E.g., “Person with coronavirus attends Mother’s Day church service, exposes 180 in Butte County”:
    https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Person-with-coronavirus-attends-Mother-s-Day-15275577.php

    Reply
  16. Marilyn

    Sorry when I hear of those that think that way.It saddens my heart! Be safe, dear one.
    Some days we need to remind ourselves to always be kind.

    Reply
  17. Sarah J Desmarais

    My gut tells me that this virus is relentless and that things are only going to get worse as things “open up.” I am terrified of the thought that my husband, my Dad, his wife, Val, my Mom, my kids, my grand kids, all those that I love and hold Dear will become severely ill. We are taking every precaution we can possibly take but I worry everyday that the virus will make it’s way in.
    I do my best to order online but at times have to endure the stressful task of grocery shopping. The people that go grocery shopping, with their three young children in tow and no masks, in my opinion are idiots. They not only run the risk of infecting themselves, they blatantly mock those of us that are trying to stay safe. If you are a responsible adult and you have to go out in public, you should be social distancing with a mask on, sanitizing every chance you get, not touching your face or eyes and teaching your age appropriate children and anyone you can to do the same. Stay well and feel good about what you’re doing. When the time comes that you have to go out and about, you are a responsible adult and will do all the right things. Stay far away from those that don’t. xo

    Reply
  18. Jan

    Corey, so sad that you were presented with such unkindness. So unnecessary to be so insensitive. Sometimes, I envision carrying a spray bottle with me so I can pretend to sneeze and spray people who say things like this. It’s just a naughty thought; I wouldn’t really do it, but it sure would be fun to try. Xoxo

    Reply

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