I bought extra toilet paper.
There, I’m coming clean about it (pun intended).
I also bought another large package of paper towels, chicken to keep in the freezer, some jars of pasta sauce, a few boxes of Keurig decaf, a new bag of dog food and some frozen pizzas.
The authorities and government told me to have enough on hand for my family in case we couldn’t leave the house for a few weeks, so I did. I also made sure my mom has enough of these necessities at her house.
What I DIDN’T do is buy 9 cases of toilet paper and 72 dozen eggs as well as every bottle of Purell visible. Honestly, if my family needs that much toilet paper in a month’s time then we probably should have gone to the doctor way before now! And eggs are perishable! My family literally goes through 2 dozen a week…but unless I’m making an omelette to share with my entire neighborhood (which would not promote social distancing!) then how on God’s green earth can I use that many? As for hand sanitizer, I get it. It’s good stuff when you’re out and about and I keep some in my car. But, when I get home, I do the good old fashioned “water and soap”” method. NOBODY needs 22 bottles. Nobody.
The fact is, we are living history right now. Our world has had illnesses and plagues before, but never at a time when we have the (almost) instantaneous access to the latest updates, concerns, recommendations, facts and personal stories.
Our ability to see what is happening on the other side of the world gives us the advantage of being able to prepare for similar circumstances, as well the chance to find a way of doing things better. It also gives us an unlimited coverage of peoples’ personal fears and sensationalization of situations. We are already entering into a time of unknowns about how this nasty bug will affect our world. Add to that the continual exposure to the facts and fallacies surrounding this virus, and it’s no wonder we feel so unsettled!
As part of the global community, we each have the responsibility of passing on information that can help others stay safe and well. If you were walking down a path and narrowly avoided a rattlesnake, it would be wrong of you to keep that information to yourself and let the person behind you step right on it! But (and you knew there was a “but”), we don’t always pass on facts. Often we share things that are possibilities. Now sometimes these “possibilities” are good warnings for us to consider, but other times they are, to be honest, half-cocked theories meant for garnering attention and provoking people.
This morning RH led us in a bible study (no church….we are trying to be responsible) in 2 Timothy. Something really stuck out for me:
But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness. And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaceus and Philetus are of that sort, who have strayed concerning the truth…”
(2 Timothy 16-18).
Now. Substitute “Facebook” and “Instagram” in place of those weird biblical names. Then, I’m going to also suggest some substitutions for “ungodliness“. How about:
–Fighting with our neighbors over a package of toilet paper
–Using this issue to further our personal agendas
–Purposeful spreading of fear to incite mistrust in others
What we write, what we post and what we share has the ability to affect others deeply. We have the responsibility to make sure our communications are not “idle or profane.” We also have the responsibility to not blindly believe what we read and use our God-given brains!
We can be prepared without panicking.
We can stock up without stripping the shelves of things our neighbors need too.
We can respect the potential of this virus without disrespecting our communities and our common sense.
We can choose not to live in fear, but to live responsibly and smartly.
When we read that companies and venues and entire areas are closing, it’s easy to be filled with a sense of foreboding. Maybe, just maybe, in place of that scary feeling we can choose to feel solidarity instead. We, as a COUNTRY, are choosing to make an effort to protect ALL OF US. From small business owners, to entire professional sports leagues, to nursing homes, to Broadway…we are ALL trying to keep our country safe. Isn’t it a beautiful feeling to know that so many people are on the same page and trying to take care of their neighbors and families and communities?
So we do some minimal stocking up (Heck…the TP WILL get used at some point, right?). We limit contact with big groups to slow a potential spread. We carefully choose our words and what we share. We wash our hands and cover our cough. We cancel plans and learn to find fun at home. We check on our high-risk neighbors and make sure they are doing ok. We pray for our leaders in the government, in our schools, and in our health care. Then we sit back and trust God to do something good with whatever is going to happen.
Recent Comments…