Pandemic Math
Formulate a new equation,
calculate a way to cope;
isolate from new contagion,
tabulate what offers hope.
Subtract all selfishness and greed,
react with added kindness -
Impact the world by meeting need;
extract your urge to blindness.
Division isn't what's required -
derision must be bested.
Decisions should be more inspired;
revision is requested.
Exemplify: All must attempt
to multiply endeavour.
We must comply - none are exempt.
Do or die - now, or never.
By Sharon Flood Kasenberg, March 23, 2020
My world has changed over the past ten days, as a crisis that seemed terrible, but was comfortably far from home, suddenly crashed my comfort zone.
I paid very little attention to the novel Coronavirus (cause of COVID-19) until Northern Italy started going into lockdown. Messaging with Nico, the student we hosted from Genoa, made me begin to consider the life changes a pandemic initiates.
"We go nowhere now - except my parents go to work," he told me.
As the horror stories from Italy began to mount, so did my concerns for Nico, and for his parents who are both nurses.
Then, almost overnight I began to witness panic buying in the stores. The virus was moving much closer to home, and the people around me were divided - some still claiming this was nothing but another flu bug, others hunkering down into full-out survivalist mode. Essential products disappeared from grocery store shelves for days on end as hoarders stockpiled ridiculous amounts of toilet paper, cleaning products, paper towels and bread...every day seemed to bring a run on new items.
That's when I realized that we need to develop new types of mathematics to help us live peacefully within society during these days of social distancing, self-isolation, and quarantines. I'll elaborate on a few of the equations I've been working out as I try to solve the problems that this unique situation has presented.
Toilet Paper Math
I never would've imagined the day would come when news of a pandemic would send people out in droves to stock up on bottom wipes. It's ironic to me that toilet paper - which has seemingly become the ultimate symbol of civilization - has caused such incredible scenes of incivility at Costcos and Walmarts around the globe! Apparently a lot of people think they need to have enough on hand to last a decade. Either that, or they have never consciously considered how much they actually need to get through a few weeks.
I live in a household with four toilets and five adults, and based on how much is left from the thirty roll package I bought two weeks ago we have enough left to last us another 14 - 16 days. Thankfully stores have begun to limit how much of it you can buy, so when we start to run out I should be able to buy another thirty roll package and rest easy for another month, without worrying that some nutter has emptied the shelves again for the sake of filling up another room with the stuff!
Newsflash: Hoarding is the reason we have disruptions in the supply chain!
If we all relax a bit - take stock of what we already have, plan how we will use it, and then buy only what we really need in order to get through the next few weeks - we will all manage to meet our needs sufficiently. We need to subtract our urge to look out for ourselves first, and add a little faith in each other into the mix when we calculate our needs. If we are really convinced that nobody will come to our aid when we are in dire need of something, then we are missing something in our lives that is far more important than toilet paper, Lysol or bread.
Household Harmony Math
Family members + boredom + staying inside = a whole lot of potential misery.
There are a few things we can subtract from this equation, and a few things we can add to it, in order to come up with a far more positive solution.
First, the subtractions. Some will disagree, but so far we haven't all been ordered to stay inside our homes, and daily walks have been my salvation. Take your kids outside. Let them run a bit and get some fresh air. I say take your kids outside because you want to be certain they are distancing themselves from anybody else who wants a bit of air and exercise. Take advantage of the fact that you are home too, and play with them.
Are your kids complaining of boredom? Add some conversation into the equation. Read a book together and discuss it, or start a discussion jar full of subjects that interest your kids. Research topics together. Add some stimulation to the mix - teach them a new skill, or play a new game with them. Challenge them to increase vocabulary by learning to use a new word each day. Teach them all the things you wish your parents had taught you - this is an ideal opportunity for learning and growing together, since there are fewer distractions. Share your thoughts on the pandemic. We often underestimate how capable our children are of understanding what's going on in the world around them. Add opportunities for them to share their thoughts, fears and feelings.
My children are grown, but every household has its challenges right now. We all need to multiply our efforts to be considerate of each other. Being largely housebound together is more familiarity than most of us really want, and familiarity does breed contempt. Share the chips and don't hog the cookies! Clean up after yourself! Become resigned to the fact that there might be a new division of labour as there are more bodies idling around the house at a time when disinfecting surfaces is necessary for everyone's health, and orderliness is vital to some people's sanity!
Social Distancing Math
Every person who comes within coughing distance of us increases our chances of not only becoming infected, but of turning us into a carrier who can, in turn, infect the people around us. The scariest thing about this slippery virus is its unpredictability. Severity varies greatly, with some cases being completely asymptomatic, some manifesting as a mild cold or flu, and others becoming critical or fatal. Some might try to justify visits with friends and recreational shopping trips by saying, "Why not? We're young and healthy! You can't really expect us to completely stop hanging out with all our friends?"
Sorry kids, but that's exactly what most of us expect. I don't want to see you shopping with your friends for everyone's sake. Maybe controversially, I don't want to see your whole family - dad, mom, kids - in the essential stores. They've stopped that in Italy. We probably should do that voluntarily now too.
None of us are safe in making the assumption that we are virus-free, which is why social distancing measures have been recommended. Now is not the time for hugs and handshakes. Connect with your family and friends, but do it safely! My son has had a cold, and I haven't touched him in over a week. (I'll really enjoy hugging him again.) I haven't gotten within six feet of any of my friends since my last Toastmasters meeting eleven days ago - and even then we kept our distance from each other and only elbow bumped.
I have been dismayed, on the few occasions that I've ventured out to buy necessities, with the number of people who aren't taking social distancing seriously - the folks who stand too close behind you at the check outs or brush by you in the aisles. Really people! I'm basically treating everyone as though they might have the plague right now, and I'd prefer that you treat me like I'm a walking batch of contagion too!
We're all feeling the distance right now, but our loneliness has a purpose. We are being given an opportunity to help each other in the most important way possible - to potentially save lives by avoiding close interaction. It's a dose of loneliness and boredom for a noble cause, and simply not being able to be physically close to others is no reason to wallow in our misery. Connect with your people! Take up thy phone and TALK!
I go on a lot of rants about people being too chained to their electronic devices, but now is the time to use our technology to meaningfully connect. I am so grateful to live in an era that has provided me with ways to instantly message friends and relatives from afar; to see their faces and hear their voices. It is wonderful to be able to exchange voice messages with "my" boys in Brazil and have them thank me for giving them an opportunity to practice their English, or to share a joke and see that LOL pop up - or it's Brazilian equivalent - KKKKK.
Multiply your efforts to be kind, to express gratitude and show compassion. Say please, thank you, I'm sorry, and be especially liberal with the words, "I love you".
Let your words be the hugs you cannot give. Life will improve exponentially if we all stop looking at our sacrifices as a zero sum game. None of us are alone in our isolation.
Me = Us. All of us are alone together. Stay safe and be kind : )
