Corona Crisis

The corona virus is sweeping the world as I write. Hundreds of thousands have come down with the virus. Most of them survived it just fine. Some did not. I don’t know how high the count will rise, but it’s lots.

This seems much like the flu that hits us every year. I’m not saying they’re the same, before you jump all over me. Gosh. People went from being congressional law professors to infectious disease doctors overnight. I said it seems like the flu, and it does. The symptoms are similar, the transmission is similar, and some people die from it. They’re not the same, but similar.

My heart goes out to those that have this disease and the families of those who don’t make it. Disease and death are old enemies, and deserve solemnity. I haven’t had it yet, that I know of. Neither has anyone in my family. But I know of some who have. It totally sucks.

There. The solemnity was important, so you know how I really feel about this horrible pandemic.

Meanwhile, I think Corona Crisis would make a great comic book character.

I imagine Corona Crisis as a brown haired white lady, but not a nice one. You know, she was drawn with angry eyebrows. She wears a body suit and cape, because that’s standard fair for comic book characters. But her clothes are snot green, except her cape. Let’s make that beer yellow with a strip of lime green. You need to be over 21 to get that joke.

She has a bunch of superpowers.

First, she spreads a terrible virus at a touch. Duh.

Next, when she doesn’t want to infect her friends, she wears gloves. But when she leaves, she wears them everywhere else she goes, forgetting that it actually spreads the disease. But she’s a villain, so cool. Sometimes, she dumps the gloves in the parking lot. Don’t want that stuff in the car. Turns out she’s a litterer.

One of her favorite pastimes is to drive around with her windows down, fake coughing and fake sneezing at pedestrians. Yeah, turns out that’s a thing now. Good thing she’s bulletproof. This is rural Maine.

She can also induce governments to forget all about math. With her mind powers, she convinces the government to borrow trillions (plural!) of dollars we don’t have to give out $1200 to each adult citizen, forgetting that it will cost $6700 for every man, woman, and child to pay it back, not including interest. Sorry, but there is no such thing as free. Of course, this is her weakest super power, because the government already sucks at math.

But we haven’t talked about her greatest superpower. This one is exceptional. A true super power.

Her greatest power is fear.

She can spread fear at the mere mention of her name. She gets the media to sing our her name in every broadcast. She’s all over social media. She’s the topic of conversation in every living room and every church service. She’s all businesses talk about at staff meetings. She doesn’t even have to be there.

Fear causes people to fight over toilet paper. Fear makes people yell at someone who accidentally stands closer than a moose length from their spouse. Fear makes people force each other into home arrest by cutting trees down in their driveway. Fear makes people make bad decisions. Lots of bad decisions.

Fear is a double edged sword. Fear can keep you alive, but fear will also kill you.

So, we need a superhero to combat a super villain, right? That’s the way this works, so a lifetime of comic books and movies tell me.

I propose Huntress Hope. Huntress, because that would make a great girls name, and Hope, because that’s my point.

Want to combat fear? Look for hope.

Look for hope in our medical professionals, from the egghead docs to the CNA on the floor. They’re doing battle for you. Have hope.

Look for hope in our truckers. These people are not going to take any crap from Corona Crisis. They roll on. Always. Have hope.

Look for hope on our farms. These folks are getting ready to plant here in Maine. There will be food, and it’ll be good food. Have hope.

Look for hope from our entrepreneurs. Yeah, the economy is taking a bath in bear pee. All you hear about is the stock market and the layoffs. Other businesses are in high demand right now, and hiring. Retail, delivery services, farming, groceries. They can’t get enough help right now. And what a great time to start a business! Have hope.

Look for hope in our churches. Those folks are right now finding high-risk people and getting them groceries, taking them to medical appointments, and generally taking care of all of us. Want to know more about what they’re up to? A little curious? There has never been a better time to check out a local church, because you can do it from your living room. Our church is Fayette Baptist Church, and is broadcasting on YouTube. Most churches now have something similar. Find one and tune in. Have hope.

Look for hope in your family. They’re taking care of you right now. I know emotions will get a little raw. Shucks, you might have to live in tight quarters for awhile, in that three bedroom, two bath home with a yard. First world problems. I’m not downplaying the hardship of staying at home, especially for some who don’t have a great home environment. But seriously, you’re not being asked to fight in a jungle. Just stay home for awhile. With your family, who loves you. Have hope.

Look for hope from God, because that’s his business. Hope is what he does. Hope comes through faith. Faith comes through knowledge and belief. Knowledge is easy to find. Belief is a lot harder, but worth hope. Have hope.

Corona Crisis is a villain, no doubt about it. But don’t let her hold your spirits down. Find hope and spread it. Take care of each other. Stay home as much as possible and don’t spread the illness. Fight fear with hope.

Because I truly think and hereby forecast that this crisis will end relatively soon. Maybe by the end of April. I think we’ll have a short economic crisis starting now and through mid summer, but ending by October, if we can keep the federal and state governments out of it.

Then I think people will be tired of fear. Fear can’t last forever. Hope will win out. Because hope is greater than fear.