The Pandemic Crashed Down Upon Us Like a Tidal Wave

Then it slowly retreated like the tide

Image by Walter Rhein

The COVID-19 pandemic approached us with all the terrifying force of mother nature. It was like bracing for a tornado. It was like hiding from a tidal wave. The hardest part was not knowing what we were in for.

I’m not ashamed to admit we were terrified.

I remember checking the reports on where the cases were turning up. We knew that even the vastness of the ocean wouldn’t save us. It was coming. Once the first case was confirmed in the United States, it was only a matter of time until it arrived in our community.

My sympathies go out to individuals who lost friends and family members because of the pandemic. So many lives were turned upside down. Early on, it was frustrating to see politicians and members of the media act irresponsibly. They ridiculed those of us who wanted to take the threat seriously.

Even today, I have a hard time forgiving them for that.

Faced with challenges, it’s always easier to deny, deny, deny.

As a nation, our response was inadequate, and if this had been a more lethal virus, the results could have been much, much worse.