The memes – we’re all sharing them.
They are hysterical. But, what isn’t so funny is that the latest media frenzy has exploited the fact that this world has its priorities severely out of order.
When did reminders for good hygiene become a public service announcement? Haven’t you always been doing that? People! It’s 2020. I thought by now we would have flying cars, not viral social media posts reminding you to wash your hands and major grocery supply chains running out of soap and toilet paper. By the way – why toilet paper? #AskingForAFriend
Goodness people……
WASH YOUR HANDS AND SAY YOUR PRAYERS……because Jesus and germs are everywhere!
In all seriousness, why are we making such a big deal about this? I’m not saying it isn’t important, but, when I did a general Google search using “Coronavirus” as a key phrase, I had to go to PAGE TWO of the search results to find the CDC’s information on it. The first page and a half were all news outlets reporting headlines like: World Markets Tumble and All of Italy Goes on Lockdown. Even more, when I did a general search with the key terms “important breaking news,” I found it difficult to find anything that didn’t have the word “corona” in it.
Not one time did I see these words:
Heart Disease
Cancer
Diabetes
Alzheimer’s Disease
Accidental Injury
Stroke
Influenza
Or the worst………Suicide
Did you know that in a year’s time suicide, alone, was the attributable cause of over 47,000 deaths in the United States? That same year, all of the aforementioned illnesses and events were responsible for killing 1,870,697 people – and that’s not even a collective statistic for all causes of US deaths.
Trust me, I am not trying to make light of any chronic condition or accident and certainly not trying to trivialize the coronavirus and the impact it has had on the families of those who have been affected by it. A loss is a loss. Period.
What I am saying is this – pause a minute. One of the worst days in Coronavirus tracking was on February 10th. On that day, in particular, 108 people in China dies of the newly emerged disease. BUT, on that very day 26,283 people died of cancer, 4,300 died of diabetes, and suicide took more lives than the virus did……by 28 times. So far this year, over 20,000 people have died of the flu. MOSQUITOS are considered the most deadliest animal in the world, killing over 1 million people each year. HUMANS kill fellow human beings at the rate of 1 per 60 seconds. A murder a minute.
Look, I get it. Images of empty store shelves and shopping carts overfilled with household supplies are flooding news reports and your social media feeds; and, being the social creatures that you are, the fear you see in fellow consumers fuels your propensity to stock up too. Well, here’s the thing about fear – it’s False Evidence of Actual Reality.
Yes, be cognizant of your surroundings and what you allow in your environment. That should always be the case. But, while you’re at it, think of how this frenzy is affecting more than just the people living in fear.
Be mindful.
Travel plans are being put on hold. Conferences are being cancelled. Dinner reservations are being marked as “no show.” Passengers of cruise ships are being quarantined and their families back home are worried sick. People are freaking out if you so much as hiccup in their air space. Consider the flip side – if all of this is happening, that means that people aren’t traveling so they aren’t pulling up to the pump, caterers aren’t prepping lavish meals for conference participants, wait staff are sitting tip-less (and some depend on this extra cash to make ends meet), and important basic supplies (that we take for granted) are now on back order and inaccessible to the population of people suffering with conditions that very much need them. The effects of this epidemic are far reaching. Industries are suffering.
For every action, there is a reaction; and, someone has the pay the price for it. I’m not saying that you shouldn’t pay attention. I’m just asking that you put a little deeper thought into the bigger picture, be mindful of what’s really important, and lean into the other very real problems facing the world today.
For me, it begs the question – who or what are we putting our faith in? I know facing the unknown can be scary and this is something we’ve never dealt with before; but, that doesn’t mean we have to react irrationally. Know your facts, do your part and visit your doctor if you aren’t feeling well, and for goodness sake – cover your family and friends in prayer. This world needs it.
