As July comes to an end to make way for August … I am tired.
I am tired of this damned pandemic. Of not being able to hug my friends. Of seeing so many people struggle. Of not being able to play softball with my teammates. Of watching my business limp along financially. Of not being able to travel to see family. Of not being able to enjoy the world I took for granted back in February.
Yeah. I’m really tired.
I say this not to complain—because I know I am one of the blessed ones. I live in a place where I am comfortable and safe. Because I have an amazing husband whose work has (knock on wood) been stable, the bills are paid, and I have food in the refrigerator. No, I say this because I know a lot of you out there can relate.
And you know what? Even though I am tired, and I am not feeling optimistic, I know, logically, that better times are coming.
First: We’re learning more about how to deal with this damned virus. Treatments for the virus are getting better. Professional sports are back—yes, without spectators, but this is an improvement over the bleakness of late March and April. All the early vaccine trials that we’ve heard about have gone well. One way or another, we will eventually defeat SARS-CoV-2, just like we’ve beaten every other pox on humanity that’s come our way over the centuries.
Second: Despite all the pain and fear and isolation at home, good people continue to do great things in this community. Various recent Independent stories prove that: You can read about an elder-law attorney fighting the good fight. About activists working to get out the vote in November. About the medical world, at long last, acknowledging that racism is a public-health issue. About a young future leader eventually heading off to Stanford University—and pledging to come back to the Coachella Valley for her career, because she wants to make it a better place. About restaurants feeding seniors in need. About local musicians continuing to create. About the McCallum Theatre finding a way to give their Open Call talent-competition finalists their moment in the spotlight, despite the pandemic. About passionate local theater artists coming to together to find a way forward, even though nobody knows when we’ll be able to gather in auditoriums again.
I could go on and on, but you get the point.
These are dark and scary times, and a whole lot of people are hurting. A whole lot of us are tired. But there’s a lot of good out there—and better times are coming. Really.
As always, thanks for reading—and be sure to pick up the August 2020 print edition of the Coachella Valley Independent, hitting streets this week.