I awoke this morning at 3:30 a.m. and in the dark, walked into my dressing room and began fighting fear. I put on some socks, my warm pajamas, and sat for a moment in the black silence. What if I get sick? It’s Friday, March 20, 2020, and the fear of illness has never befallen me. I figure I’m lucky to be in this tiny town tucked at the end of a Lake Michigan bay, and I’m lucky to have a wife who likes being here better than anywhere on earth, so here we are. Yet on the TV, radio, and internet the stories of mass groups of people in urban areas being locked down sends shivers up my spine. For two weeks, we’ve sheltered from events and mass gatherings, and except to go to the store, we’ve been mindful of our life in our home. Christine is on the frontlines of health care necessitating her to cover six counties with staff and contingency plans as the virus spreads, but she herself isn’t in direct patient care. That eases my mind. We’re both healthy with no risk factors other than our age. There are no underlying medical conditions and we’re both gym rats and outdoor fanatics. In theory, even if we get sick, we should recover. But what if one of us, or both, doesn’t? The rain and haze dampen the downtown lights this morning, and another day is set to dawn. One more day of house chores, spending time in the studio, and then preparing dinner and our evening. I thank the Universe for that routine. The simplicity of life now amplifies to a better life. Now it’s up to me as I continue fighting fear.
You and me too, buddy! We’ll just keep hanging in there and living the new version of life for the duration.