Going out the door…

Photo by Karen

We are all going through it, more or less ( more, I pray). We’ve all got the same instructions. The heroes are the ones who have to go out there—answering the call of duty. They go out because they put the needs of others above their own well-being. We have to pray for them. The villains are the ones who go out there because they want to. They either refuse to believe it, or are so driven by their own desires, or, horror of horrors, figure they won’t get more than sick and who cares if others could die? We need to pray for them too.

The rest of us face the Front Door (or Back Door or Garage Door Opener) choice. We are supposed to stay inside. I know it is easier for me—I am retired…I don’t have the stress—but I still have to stay inside. I am also older and more vulnerable to the virus, so I have more motivation, I suppose. The Apostle Paul’s words stir me: “…for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances..” (Philippians 4:11) I’ve been told he was in jail when he wrote that. So maybe we are supposed to be learning to be content? Paul’s message is consistent: in hard times we are to persevere and have faith. These are hard times. It is easier for me to stick with this program when I realize there is spiritual growth in it.

So the question becomes: When do we go out the door? Karen and I and Bethany (by phone) were discussing it last night. Their proposal: you are loving your neighbor by staying inside. You should try to stay inside. There is so much truth to that. Obviously, you are going to have to make a limited amount of trips out there. What constitutes a moral choice? I’d say the first thing is distinguishing between a need and a want. If you are looking for rationalizations to go outside, there are tons of them available. Going out the door is a choice, not a given.

Let me give you the example of our lives (this is not to be self-centered, this is to compare our perceptions to yours): I’m not preaching or bragging, I’m just exploring the conflict. Our trips out the door: On Sunday, we went to Zack and Kallie’s for dinner. This was a tough choice—the kids have been in school, both parents are busy people. They are way more exposed to “the world” than we are. Except it wasn’t a tough choice. We won’t hug the kids, we will wash our hands, we want to be with them. On Monday, we had two electricians in, upgrading our system; I made a quick run to Kroger’s (not good since we had stopped there the previous evening). Went to the post office and CVS—but used the drive thru for both. Karen worked in the yard. We also went for a walk. On Tuesday, I went to Kroger’s in the morning (no qualms), and in the afternoon I played a glorious round of golf on a practically empty golf course. Karen worked in the garden. Today, we just took a walk.

Is that normal? Are we over or are we under? I know we don’t have the pressing demands that so many people have. I’m anxious to know what kind of choices others have had to make? . This is what I’m starting to understand about Corona—we don’t just a set a policy. We have to make decisions day by day.

One more thing that I’m just starting to see, and this is a real positive. Is it just my cock-eyed optimism, or are people starting to care more about each other? It’s not the economy that needs a boost, it’s our national character—there’s no politics in that. People caring for each other, watching out for each other…you see it at tornadoes and floods—now we are starting to see it on the national (maybe international?) level.

I can’t pretend that what we do is more important than what the government does. There are so many health issues, economic issues, education issues that are out of our control. But I don’t want to get political—vote and encourage others to.

So Karen and I are sticking with the program. We are going to continue to self-isolate (together, of course). We are going to be very aware when we go out the door—and of who comes in the door. We are not going to go crazy about it (she agrees I can still play golf if I wear two gloves and ride in the cart alone). I think America can handle this—but that’s not where I’m putting my faith.

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