“Richmond is no longer the Capital of the Confederacy.”
– Mayor Levar Stoney
The deed is done, folks. Richmond once had a deep history of pride in its Confederate roots, despite the Confederate army setting our city on fire. We even have museums about our city’s role in the Confederacy. But one thing we no longer have: statues of their leaders on Monument Avenue.
Yesterday morning, the last statue standing, that of Robert E. Lee, which sits in the middle of what is now called Marcus-David Peters Circle, was dismantled from its pedestal to cheers from onlookers and the Mayor himself. After massive protests on our streets in the wake of the murder of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and multiple others of color, all of the other Confederate monments under city control were taken down earlier this year. Lee was under state control, and with our state Supreme Court ruling on September 2nd that it could finally be removed, action was swift.
The Lee Monument last year.
It’s been amazing to witness the evolution of this site over the past year or so. The pedestal has become a work of art, with graffiti and memorials now covering what once held up the leader of the Confederacy. I loved running past on my many training runs through the Fan. There was always something new to see. The energy here was palpable.
Close up of graffiti on the pedestal.
Even in my extremely conservative county of Hanover, just outside of Richmond, we managed to convince the school board that it was time to remove the Confederate names of our Mechanicsville schools. More relics of an expired era gone. There has been much backlash, including the ousting of some school board members, and multiple protestors at meetings arguing against teaching critical race theory, and even upset with teachers who declare that their classrooms are inclusive and safe spaces for children who are not straight and white. It’s a three steps forward, two steps back kind of thing. It’s pretty disturbing, but not unlike what’s happening elsewhere in our country. We clearly still have work to do.
I apologize for devoting so many blog posts lately to current events, but the fact is that all of these issues are stressful for many, and truly affect our overall wellness. The continued pandemic, the realization of how unjust our world is, the chipping away at voting rights and reproductive freedoms… It’s exhausting. Sometimes it helps to know that you’re not the only one feeling this way. But with this symbol of white supremacy gone, we can take a moment to rejoice. It’s time for Richmond to be known for something better.
___________
I never thought that change like this could happen, but it did. I know these are mere symbols, and that the real work for social justice must continue. But symbols are indeed significant, and their disappearance from our city’s landscape absolutely means something. This is not erasing history. It’s demonstrating that as a community, we will no longer honor a government that wanted to preserve slavery.
Thursday started with a panic attack as I scrolled the news. It was a visceral response that seemingly came out of nowhere, but in reality, it’s been simmering since I was 9.
I survived a summer of grooming, molestation, and the big event of attempted rape the summer before I turned 10. My neighbor’s grandson, who was 14, took advantage of shy, insecure, hopelessly skinny and powerless me. I was assured that I would get into trouble if I told my parents what was happening. And when he trapped me in my brother’s bedroom, held me down, and told me he was going to rape me, I somehow knew to kick him in the nuts. That’s how I got away. I didn’t know at the time what the word rape meant, but I knew from the tone of his voice, like the voice of Satan himself, that this was bad. The scars from this summer remain, with multiple facets to the enduring trauma, and I’m almost 50 now.
I think my inner child spoke Thursday morning. She’s had enough. And this is why I’m sharing.
I’ve thought a lot about the ruling in Texas. My heart aches for girls and women who are raped, and yes, this includes those who are coerced into having sex. Those who endure this trauma and end up pregnant and under this law will experience continued trauma upon trauma at the hands of the State of Texas, as there are no exceptions to the new law for cases of rape or incest.
Then my mind goes back to 9 year old me. I’ve often pondered the what ifs of my situation, even before this law was passed. What if I had been on the cusp of starting my period? (Which, by the way, I didn’t know what that was at that age. I do know that some of the girls I went to church with had already started by that age, and this is only because I figured out much later why they wouldn’t go swimming at church camp.) What if I hadn’t known to kick him where it counts? What if he was able to penetrate me and get me pregnant? What would I have done? I wouldn’t have even known what to look for or that the act could have impregnated me. That’s how naive I was.
What if 9 year old me lived in Texas, in 2021? And all of these previously mentioned what ifs actually occurred? Would my tiny body be forced to carry out a full term pregnancy and give birth? A process that I didn’t even fully understand? I mean, pregnancy at 27 and 30 was challenging enough, and I truly love and wanted my children. But I can’t imagine going through it as a child. I can’t imagine carrying the spawn of a rapist. I can’t imagine the hatred, the rage, the disgust I would feel wearing the badge of his triumph over me in my belly, for everyone to see and shame me for. How trapped I would feel in a situation completely beyond my control When it comes down to it, society will never shame the rapist. They always shame the victim. Even a child.
What if this happened, and my family figured it out in time, and then decided to take me across state lines to get an abortion, to spare my body from the physical and emotional trauma of carrying out the pregnancy of my rapist? Would vigilantes be able to bankrupt my family because they helped save my life?
This law will spread like a malignant tumor among conservative states. Similar laws are already being drafted in Florida. If politicians can circumvent law this way, what will be on the agenda next? So much for the separation of church and state. And there are credible claims that men are already trying to figure out how to get women pregnant and profit from their situation. I fear for the rights of my teenage girls. I’m so sad that this is the world in which they are coming of age.
Please help me understand why any of this is ok. Because my 9 year old inner child is petrified.
___________
One of every six females in the United States has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape. For the referenced claim about men profiting from the new law, see @tizzyent on Instagram. Pandora’s Box has been opened in Texas. It’s time to speak up. Write to your senators and congressmen. The perspective I shared about this ruling is just one reason why I oppose this law. And there’s so much more that SHOULD be done if we want to reduce abortion rates that is NOT being done, like restoring mandatory insurance coverage for birth control and providing comprehensive sex education, to name just two. This law isn’t about saving lives. It’s about controlling women and girls.
If you are anti-choice, I hope you will at least hear the fears of my 9 year old inner child. Try to imagine what her life would have been like if all of the what ifs had played out, and ask yourself if you think it’s fair. Ask yourself if you would allow that to happen to your own little girl. Ask yourself how the child of a rapist would feel if they discovered their truth. Ask yourself if that seems like a good life, to know that yours began as a violent act against a girl. Despite what some evangelical scholars preach, it’s not a sin to feel empathy. It’s human.
Do you love BBQ? It’s a favorite for my family. But since I’m the lone vegan, I make my own. I even make my own coleslaw, and then we have shared sides. Jackfruit itself is an intimidating item, but buying it canned really simplifies this dish. It took me a couple of tries to get this right, but adding the sliced onions really boosts the flavor. Simmering the jackfruit long enough to break it down makes a big difference in the texture, giving it a stringy, chewy, yet tender bite similar to, well, slow cooked BBQ!
Ingredients:
1 T olive oil
1 onion, peeled, cut in half, then thinly sliced
1 can Trader Joe’s jackfruit in brine, drained
Your favorite vegan BBQ sauce (I like Stubbs spicy)
Salt to taste
Directions:
In a medium saucepan, warm the olive oil over medium heat.
Add in the sliced onion, salt to taste, and saute until they start to brown.
Add drained jackfruit, stirring to combine with onions.
Pour ½-¾ cup of BBQ sauce over the mixture, stirring to combine.
Cover, turn heat to low, and simmer for 20 mins, stirring occasionally.
Uncover, stirring to break up pieces of jackfruit.
Serve on a bun with vegan coleslaw! (recipe follows)
Cooking he onions
After adding the jackfruit and BBQ sauce
After breaking down the jackfruit
Vegan Coleslaw:
I don’t really follow a recipe for this, but generally I divide a pack of pre-cut coleslaw cabbage into 2 portions, ⅔ for regular slaw for my family, and ⅓ to make vegan slaw for me. To the cabbage I’ve reserved for my vegan slaw, I mix in 1T spicy mustard (dijon or brown work equally well), 2T apple cider vinegar, a healthy dash of seasoned salt, and enough vegan mayo to make it the desired consistency, usually about ⅓ cup, give or take.
Leftovers are easy to store in the fridge for up to a week and reheat later!
Have you ever tried making BBQ jackfruit? If you try my recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Post pics and tag me @annecreates on Instagram! As always, I hope you all are safe and healthy.
Formerly the Patrick Henry Half Marathon, this annual event hosted jointly by Sports Backers and the Richmond Road Runners Club is notorious for the brutal weather conditions that are August in Virginia. One year, they ran as the outer bands of Hurricane Irene struck Richmond!
As its name indicates, this race is run in Ashland, Virginia, through many streets I either run on or drive frequently. It’s a fairly small race, and begins and ends on the campus of Randolph-Macon, winding through quaint streets of the town and into the farmland of Hanover County. There’s even a stretch that bikers love since they can practice hills (also mile 11 on the course).
The last time I ran this race was in 2016, when conditions were so poor weather wise, I swore I’d never run it again. Naturally, each year since, we seemed to get an unusually cool day for August for this race. This year, I broke my word. Peer pressure is a dangerous thing, people! Most of my fellow Pink Nation coaches were running, and admittedly, I was tempted because of the new rebranding! So it seemed that half marathon 11 would be the inaugural running of the Ashland Half.
Race morning, I woke up at 3:38am. My alarm was set for 4! So be it. It was time to get up and ready. Getting to the race early was important because the coaches set up canopies for our tailgate after the race! And, as luck would have it, it was my turn to give the benediction before the race (this is what we call our motivational speech pre-run, that is a Pink Nation tradition!)
Photo courtesy of Maria Quintas-Herron
Here’s what I said:
“As promised, since I signed up to run this race with you, we are in for a day that’s sure to be as hot as the surface of the sun. You’re welcome.
Seriously, though, I’m sure you all are feeling a mix of different emotions today! BECAUSE IT’S RACE DAY!!!
BREATHE. RELAX. We can do this!
If you are feeling nervous, this is good. It means that you care. Use this energy to fuel your race today. We will face the excitement of this challenge together.
I’m quoting Alexi Pappas, professional runner and Olympian, from her book Bravey today. If you haven’t read this yet, you really must. It’s my new favorite book about running and life!
About nerves, Alexi says:
“Nerves are cousin to excitement and excitement is cousin to gratitude. Pay attention to your nerves: If you feel nervous, it’s a sign that a Very Big Thing is unfolding. Be nervous for how good that thing can be.”
About the pain of racing, Alexi offers this advice:
“Racing is about understanding that pain is a sensation but not necessarily a threat, and if you continue to put one foot in front of the other you will break through your rough patch.”
So let’s take some quick lessons from Alexi. Nerves are good. When the race gets painful, just concentrate on one foot in front of the other. And when you feel depleted as this race, heat, and humidity unfold, remember that you have grit. Remember your why. You are trained, and you are ready. Be brave. We can do this!
ALL GO! NO QUIT! COWBOY UP!!!”
(The last bit we say together as a team!)
With the Ashland Half starting 30 minutes earlier with 3 ½ hours to run the race, I felt a bit of relief as we set off from the start line. My last half was 3:20. Granted, this was the Blue Ridge Half Marathon, which climbed 2 mountains, but I was still sort of concerned.
The first half of the race was pretty smooth. We ran around the town of Ashland, which is fairly flat. Then we made our way to the hilly, country roads. I had prepared myself mentally for the worst part of the race for me, which is running down Yowell: a very hilly farm road with no shade. I’ve definitely struggled here before! But this time, it didn’t seem so bad.
Proof that this road exists…
The race changes when we turn onto route 666, affectionately referred to as the “devil’s road.” Yet another twisty, turvy country road, which leads to even more twisty turvy country roads… and suddenly you are at mile 10, approaching the long hill that is mile 11 of the course. I was thrilled to see Lisa and Kelly, the only two Pink coaches not running the race. What a welcome sight to see their smiling faces and hear their words of encouragement!
And then, just like that, we were up the 3 hills of mile 11, and there was only 1 mile left of the race. It was so brutally hot and relentlessly sunny at this point. I was grateful that mile 11 was mostly shaded. I had already taken quite a few walk breaks by this stage of the race, as had most of the runners in my company. But I was pleasantly surprised to look down at my watch as I made my turn back to the campus of Randolph-Macon and realized that not only would I finish in less than 3 hours, I would finish in less than 2:50!
Yeah, I did strip down to my sports bra. It was so hot, I didn’t care!
Our Pink Nation coaches ran in the final participant to finish together. Another tradition.
Would I run this race again? I don’t know. If I don’t sign up, we will have one of those special, unusually cool August days with clouds and a nice breeze! I am beginning to think that my participation curses the weather for this race!
Bad things about this race? The weather, of course. And midway through the run, my Nathan hydration belt pocket split in 2 places at the seam. I spent a fair bit of energy worrying that I would drop my sport beans or my phone!
My hydration belt pouch split at the seam.
Good things about the day? It was a race. In person. It was very well organized, as both Sports Backers and the Richmond Road Runners are pros. The race was just a few miles from my house on roads I run frequently. Hearing the sound of runners striking the pavement at the beginning of the race before everyone spread out was amazing, and a sound I didn’t realize I missed. Seeing friends on the course was equally amazing, as one part is an out and back. Other friends were course marshaling. Having the support of coaches who weren’t running this race was so nice. Seeing their happy faces and hearing their cheers was definitely refreshing as we headed into the series of hills at mile 11! And having the coveted bling and swag of the inaugural Ashland Half!
Some of our team who ran Saturday. Photo courtesy of Emily James.
Do you like running smaller races? Have you run any in person races this year? Do you have any recommendations for hydration packs or belts, since it looks like I’ll need to replace mine? I’d love to hear about it! As always, I hope you all are safe and healthy.
Well, I knew it was coming. I just really wish it hadn’t. As I predicted, we are back to wearing N95 masks all day in patient care areas in my hospital. Sigh. The main difference this time is that we actually have adequate PPE to protect everyone. Gone are the days of recycling N95 masks, thankfully.
The particular kind of mask we wear to protect everyone from the spread of the new Delta and other potential variants of Covid is a KN95, a non-fit tested N95 mask. Also known as a “duck bill” mask, due to its appearance. I had issues last time wearing these because they kill my nose, especially when doubled with goggles. We now have lighter weight, disposable goggles that help, but it still hurts. It’s been 6 days, and I’ve already got a bruise on the bridge of my nose. The straps are tight, and will often cause a headache. But this is life now.
In a KN95 mask with new goggles with built in bifocal readers.
My alternative? I can wear a fit tested N95 instead. It’s the next level after the KN95. This one is more comfortable in some ways, less in others. I have less room under this mask, since it kind of fits like a suction cup. My problem last time with these is that the corners of my mouth actually broke down, cracked, and bled from the deep wounds created over time. With little relief, I kind of had to put up with it. Eating became a chore. It simply hurt to do so. The marks from the straps of these last for hours.
But, here we are. I’m certainly not going to avoid wearing these since my risk of exposure to the virus is fairly high, even when I’m not on a Covid unit. For now, most of my work has been with patients without active cases of Covid, but you never know if or when the next outbreak will strike. This is our best protection.
Since goggles aren’t going anywhere either, and because Covid can infect you through your eyes, I finally broke down and ordered a pair of my own with flexible temple bars and built in bifocal readers. It’s been challenging doubling up goggles and reading glasses!
I’m just sending this out into the world so that those who don’t work in the healthcare environment can realize just how annoying the things we do to protect our patients and each other can be, even if you aren’t on a Covid unit. These measures go way beyond what is traditional in healthcare. I truly don’t blame colleagues who have left the hospital setting. It’s just tough. Really tough. Because on top of the daily personal struggles of doing my job with extra PPE, even in non-Covid areas, we continue to deal with patients who don’t think masks work and believe in conspiracy theories. And then we go into the real world, and it’s a struggle not to confront every senseless person you encounter. It’s wild.
However, I will keep doing all the things to protect myself and others. I love my job. I love my patients. And I will be there for you, even if you don’t trust science and end up with Covid. I just might see you in inpatient rehab to help you get your life back.
In other news, the Pfizer vaccine has been approved by the FDA. I hope that people on the fence about getting the vaccine will reconsider. I’m looking forward to getting a booster dose of this next month, as I have lost count of my friends and colleagues who have fallen ill with Covid who are fully vaccinated. I’m staying masked in public, indoor spaces, and will continue to do so even after the booster. It’s the right thing to do.
Currently in the state of Virginia, we have a 9.9% positivity rate. My hospital is out of Covid beds. Our ICU is also full. It’s like we are back to square one.
Your healthcare providers are so over this virus. Please, please, please, do what you can to keep you, your family, and your neighbors safe. As always, I hope you all are safe and healthy.
It’s that time in fall marathon training season already that I need new shoes! To be fair, I bought my last pair of Clifton 7’s before both of my spring half marathons. So, I had already reached almost 300 miles on them! My body and feet were beginning to complain with every run. That’s when you know that it’s time for an upgrade.
Thankfully, the new version of my favorite shoe is out. I’ve been in the Hoka Clifton since the 2’s debuted! The Clifton has certainly gone through an evolutionary process over the years. Just look at this picture of the 6, 7, and 8 side by side. The tongues get thicker, and the pull tabs get longer. I think the 8 is the best version yet!
From left to right: the Clifton 6, 7, and 8
I’ve now run in these twice: once on the treadmill, and once on the road. First impression? Very responsive and well cushioned! I love the upgrade to the uppers, especially the extra cushioning on the tongue. Sometimes I will have pain on the top of my foot from my shoes, and this will definitely help that problem.
Per the Hoka website, the upgrades from the Clifton 7 include:
– Breathable mesh upper
– Gusseted tongue
– EVA foam
– Early stage Meta-Rocker
– Extended pull tab
– Upgraded midsole
I can tell you that my feet were very happy on my 10 mile training run last weekend! If you’re a Hoka fan, I highly recommend these shoes! If you’re looking for a change or a different model of shoe to mix into your regular rotation, give these a try. And, in case you needed more of a reason to try these, there’s quite a Hoka fan club in the hospital where I work. There’s a reason for that! They make outstanding work shoes if you spend lots of time on your feet like we do in healthcare.
Paired with my favorite Balega socks.
Have you ever run in Hokas? What’s your usual shoe brand if not? I’d love to hear about it! As always, I hope you all are safe and healthy.
A few months ago, the editor of Miles and Minutes, the quarterly magazine of the Richmond Road Runners Club, reached out to their members for content. They were specifically looking for race recaps, etc. to wax nostalgic about what running a race in person was like. I volunteered my blog post about my last in person race, the Marine Corps Marathon in 2019. They published this in their spring edition!
Talking to the editor, she shared her ideas about a summer edition themed around training plans, etc., and was interested in hearing my perspective as a vegan runner. I was excited to work on a piece about this, and now I can share the results with you!
I’m so happy that many of my vegan running friends were able to contribute as well as a friend who is a newly registered dietician! I sent my out of town friends copies!
If you want to read my article, the link is here. There is a typo: there is a part which mentions protein intake in mg. That should be grams. Oh, well…
Thanks for reading. As always, I hope you all are safe and healthy.
We had one of those nights last week when I couldn’t figure out what we were going to have for dinner. None of the suggestions I made suited my teenager. And then I peeked in the pantry for ideas and spotted a jar of Trader Joe’s salsa verde, and that’s when inspiration struck. Sure, it feels like 105 degrees outside (after all, it is August in Virginia), but chili verde is always delicious and comforting. And as we packed up my older daughter for her second year of college, comfort was in order.
Like many veganized soups, I rely on Walmart’s Sam’s Choice vegan protein broth to add savory creaminess to this chili.
I’m going to count this spur of the moment creation a success, since according to both of my kids, it was delicious, and there were no leftovers! So, without further delay, here’s the recipe:
Ingredients:
1 T olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced, or Dorot frozen garlic cubes
1 jalapeno, diced
2 potatoes, peeled and diced
2 cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups water
1 T Better than Bouillon paste, vegetable flavor
1 cup plant-based milk of your choice (I like Silk protein milk)
1 cup Trader Joe’s salsa verde
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp Lidl seasoning salt
1 tsp cumin
Salt to taste
Directions:
In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, warm the olive oil over medium heat.
Add the diced onions and garlic, sauteing until translucent.
Add the diced jalapeno and spices, cooking until fragrant.
Add the remaining ingredients except for the milk and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to low and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.
Add the plant-based milk and stir.
Taste and adjust spices if needed.
Serve over cooked rice, if desired.
Garnish with additional salsa verde and red chili flakes, if desired.
Chili in progress!
Substitution ideas:
Don’t have a Trader Joe’s near you? Any favorite store bought jarred salsa verde should do!
Don’t like the heat of fresh jalapenos? Try adding a can of diced green chilis instead for a milder kick.
Can’t find the vegan protein broth from Walmart? Substitute extra creamy oat milk or Silk protein milk instead.
Don’t have the Better Than Bouillon paste? Sub vegetable broth for the paste and water.
Looking for a more traditional tomato based chili? Check out my original Vegan Chili recipe!
Thanks for stopping by my blog! If you try this recipe, post about it and tag me @annecreates on Instagram! As always, I hope you all are safe and healthy.
This week, the school board in my county was ambushed by the Hanover Patriots, the repackaged Hanover Militia, a group that regularly stirs controversy in our county, protesting changing the names of our Confederate named schools, vaccines, teaching critical race theory, gun control measures, and, at this meeting, our statewide mask mandates for public schools. Guess who won? The science deniers.
But my real disappointment and disgust lies with our school board, who voted to make masks “optional,” going against both state law and CDC guidelines as well as the recommendation of our superintendent. They broke the promise they made when we had to make a binding choice to send our kids to school in person or enroll in online school that they would follow CDC recommendations. My teenager learned virtually last year. She is vaccinated, but I still fear that the Delta or other new variants will make her sick. I’m very concerned for the health and safety of younger children who cannot get vaccinated yet. I’m concerned for teachers who are, once again, placing their health in danger, as many were forced to teach in person last year. I expected more from our school officials. So much more.
Here is my response:
*****
To the Hanover County School Board:
I don’t know why I’m even bothering to write this, because any correspondence I’ve ever sent has been met with complete silence in the past. Yet, I am compelled to express my astonishment with your decision at this week’s school board meeting.
In June, when you made us lock in a decision about sending our children to participate in person for learning vs. online school, you made a promise that you would follow CDC guidelines with regard to the Covid-19 pandemic. And then we watched a bunch of misinformed bullies browbeat you into going back on your word. I had not planned to attend this meeting because I don’t care to get involved in the nonsense that we expected and actually came to fruition. It’s embarrassing. The Hanover Patriots are a part of a very well orchestrated plan across the country to influence decision making in our school systems, and you played into their plan just as they had hoped. They won.
And this is more than unfortunate. It’s dangerous. As a hospital based physical therapist, I have treated both patients with active Covid infections and those recovering from its effects. This virus is very, very real. I’m exhausted trying to convince conspiracy theorists otherwise. I wish science deniers could see what I see: patients gasping for breath, their oxygen levels dropping to dangerous levels by simply walking across the room; heart rates reaching uncomfortably high levels with minimal activity; the look of panic in the eyes of someone who can’t catch their breath; the deep regret expressed by patients who thought this virus was no big deal, and now find themselves gravely ill. I wish you could feel the heartache of healthcare providers when we lose patients we have bonded with over the course of weeks of treatment, only to succumb to this virus. I wish you could understand what it takes to help someone who has been intubated for weeks, resulting in ICU induced myopathy, to slowly gain strength and mobility again. It’s a long road.
And now your actions will be a part of what will prolong our fight with this virus. Shame on you. I’m tired of being a part of society that’s picking up the slack from the deniers. But this is what I’m called to do, and I will continue to do my part. But I’m exhausted, just like every other healthcare provider. And I’m really tired of wearing N95 masks. The least you can do is comply with Virginia state law and CDC guidelines. Believe the science. Believe your healthcare providers. Otherwise, you’ve just been played by a bunch of bullies.
Parents trusted you to do the right thing, and now you betrayed our trust. You are asking our children to enter a learning environment unprotected from this virus. Masks work best when everyone wears them. I’m sure some entity on the state level will step in and undo this wrong, but I really thought our county officials would follow the science and the law, not the whims of conspiracy theorists. Do better, Hanover.
****
I actually received an almost immediate response from one board member who is in support of mask mandates. He was also quick to reply that he supports everyone’s “constitutional freedoms” and “limited government.” But prioritizes student and staff safety. That’s something. I just wish those in favor of doing what is in the best interests for public health were a bit more convincing of their colleagues than the bullies. Sigh.
For the science deniers, I hope you like learning about Darwinism. Because I’m fairly confident we will be getting a lesson from the universe on this very topic over the course of the next school year.
Do you have school aged children? Is your school system planning on complying with CDC recommendations this school year? I’d love to hear your thoughts. As always, I hope you all are safe and healthy.
What does this mean, really? I pondered this question all day, as I thought about people whining about wearing masks or making unvaccinated kids wear them in school. I thought about this as I watched the man stopped at the red light in front of me toss his cigarette out the window like the world was his giant trash can. I thought about this as I stewed over my friend telling me she got harassed at the grocery store, passive aggressive style, as some woman in a sassy tennis skirt with no mask and talking on the phone complained that there was some “skanky ass nurse” in the store. Enough, people.
I was listening to some very old REM in my car on my way to work this morning. “Not… everyone can carry the weight of the world.” Indeed.
My daughter had a mild panic attack last week when her university announced that due to the Delta variant surge, they will require masks, even though there is a vaccination mandate in place. There are enough students exempt from vaccination and enough transmission among the vaccinated that they felt this step was necessary. She is so frustrated, asking me why do we bother doing all the right things when we all get punished for the ones who won’t? Yes. That’s the great mystery of life. Everyone fails the group project when the few don’t do their part.
Y’all. Your kids are tired of this. Your healthcare providers are tired of this. Your teachers are tired of this. Hospitals have shortages in all staff. Schools don’t have enough teachers. Are we reaching a tipping point?
Here’s the thing. Even if you get sick, even if you did nothing to prevent getting Covid, I will still treat you. I will still do my very best to give you the best care I can. Even if you were the one who gave me a hard time because I was wearing a mask in the grocery store. Even if you pepper our conversation throughout our sessions with conspiracy theories. I will still treat you with respect and compassion.
Going back to my daughter… her frustration expanded beyond Covid. She sees the future world up in flames because my generation and the generation before haven’t cared for this earth. I had no words to truly console her, because I see that, too.
So, yeah. It’s been rough, as I’m sure it has for many of you, to realize that we are almost back to where we started. But trying to convince someone who believes in conspiracy theories to trust in science is about as fruitful as herding cats. That goes for Covid and climate change.
You know, we actually give up a lot of “personal freedoms” to keep ourselves and others safe. Like driving the speed limit. Like not drinking and driving. Like wearing a helmet while biking. Like not dumping our trash wherever we want to. We are highly capable of respecting others and following rules. We do it every day. Can we also just wear the damn masks in indoor public spaces like the CDC recommends?
Are you growing wearing of this pandemic? Of the world getting hotter? Of people not respecting others? As always, I hope you all are safe and healthy.
Anne the Vegan 