December21

Nine months ago I began my personal journey in the coronaverse. I started to put my thoughts out there and share my observations of life in a pandemic. I wasn’t sure where it would lead but I knew I needed to record these unprecedented times for future generations. Today is another Monday in what seems like nine months of Mondays and I reflect on where we have been and look towards where we are going.

It is the shortest day of the year and the official start of winter. It will be a winter of discontent, a winter of chaos and confusion. It has been a tumultuous time these past nine months, a time of uncertainty and a time of creativity. For me personally, it has been a time of reflection and a time where I have transformed myself and discovered what I will do with the rest of my life.

I am one of the lucky ones.

Many others across the globe have lost their lives or their loved ones. Many more have lost everything to a virus that has spread with speed and efficacy that has rocked the world’s health-care establishments. Today’s numbers worldwide are staggering: 76.9M cases, 43.4M recovered, 1.7M deaths. With a total population of over 7 billion the percentage seems low, but the effects are real. Still, there are people that question what is being done. If the world had done nothing and let this disease run rampant I wonder how much higher the toll would be?

I listened to a report by Chris Walker from CBC who went to a protest on Saturday in downtown Kelowna. He went with an open mind to find out why these people were protesting. He went to get the story from people that live in more fear of the government than they do of the virus. Sadly he was unable to get a rational response from many of the people there. He was insulted and intimidated; these so-called freedom fighters have their own agenda and no desire to see any side but their own. With disbelief, I listened to educated people voice their fear that this virus is a huge conspiracy to institute totalitarian governments across the globe. They refuse to believe history and they willingly spread misinformation to advance their agenda. When Chris Walker asked the question I have often wondered, they bullied and belittled him for being part of mainstream media. They acted like he was the enemy. The question is simple and it is rational. Who wants to control us and why?

The reason this can’t be answered by the people living in fear of the government is that there is no answer.

Our system of democracy created hundreds of years ago with built-in protections. Rules were made to ensure that it can never fall into totalitarianism. A free independent media is a part of those protections. Mainstream media has regulations in place to ensure they are honest and independent. It’s strange how unregulated social media can spread lies. Facebook and Twitter have gained more trust in some circles than the media that has been around for hundreds of years. I have met Chris Walker on a few occasions and he has never had any motive other than finding the truth. I find it offensive that people would attack the integrity of Chris and others like him.

If there is a deep state it is probably what is sewing distrust and division using social media. Facebook, Twitter, and all the rest of these platforms have spread misinformation like a virus for the past ten or fifteen years. This viral attack on our institutions may be a greater threat to our democracy than any pandemic.

These last nine months of varying degrees of lockdown and restrictions have been hard on our world. The wealth of the world has become more and more concentrated and the rich keep getting richer while the poor struggle to survive. It is not surprising that there is a push back from so many people.

Now with Christmas only days away the world is going back into lockdown everywhere. My cousin in Holland has worked from home for the last nine months and now the schools have closed and people are being told to stay home and stay apart. Ontario has been put under strict lockdown for the next month as of Dec 26. I think they feel the need to wait until after Christmas, it’s a time of year when everyone comes together to connect over the holidays. Health officials are pleading with people to cancel their plans and keep to themselves to celebrate alone. Sad times for many.

By its very nature health care is designed to over-react to threats. With this over-reaction comes a push back. I hope people don’t push back too hard. I hope we can all celebrate our Christmas in the safety of our own homes. I hope those that have no-one can make it through this tough time. I hope we can all come out on the other side stronger. I hope…

I sit with my knee elevated recovering from a fall on my skis. I know next year will be better, I should recover from my crash and heal my bruised leg. Luckily, I avoided any major injury to my knee and should be back up and around early in the new year.

I’m sure the world will be up and around next year as well. People are being vaccinated from Covid19 and there is hope for brighter days in 2021. We are at the lowest point of 2020 at a time we should be celebrating. Time will heal all and I look forward to the day I can get back on my skis and feel the freedom of the mountains.

I look forward to removing my mask and feel the freedom to connect with my friends and family once more.