July 30, 2021: And how shall we respond?

July 30, 2021: And how shall we respond? The news is troubling, even as a steady state is being reported and the Angels are focused on coordinating testing and some vaccine appointments, we have not had to handle the need for beds, O2, and the other things that consumed us just about three months ago. I have taken some people to get vaccinated, especially those who find it tricky to negotiate the digital portal to arrange the vaccinations and set up the appointments. Some people, especially in out of the way locations are finding it tricky to find vaccines. Everyone is watching out for everyone else. This is how we respond. There is an awareness of the communal responsibility. But elsewhere the response is still being debated. In an eerie return to the squabbles over to mask or not to mask, as the numbers are changing in America, the advisors are again dithering. To vaccine or not to vaccine. Thankfully, that is not a large issue with the people I have been assisting with vaccinations. Mostly everyone I have assisted are ready to get the vaccine. It is amusing to see notices on digital networks where statement such as “I have educated and intelligent friends who doubt the efficacy of the vaccine.” Really? Educated? Intelligent? The sad part, of course, is that the process continues to pose barriers to those who need people for their livelihood. In the past, I have talked about professions where work can continue well without the need for presence. But there are others, including people in my family, whose work is impossible without presence. A presence that is still tied to place. Where the digital presence, even if very effective, is not accepted. Acceptance. This is the key. Acceptance not in some dystopic sense of accept or you will be punished, so well documented in numerous films. But accept that there is a change afoot and accept that things should work differently and then build on that. That could be the response. Yes, when bondhus gathered for a meal, there is a certain agreement that masking will be respected for those who want to. There is nothing unusual in respecting that. Have smokers with some social responsibility accepted that smoking in closed places hurts others? Yes. Have travelers accepted that one needs a little extra time for security checks at transportation points in an attempt to weed out threats? Yes. Have I accepted that I may not be able to enter a mall unless I agree to having my temperature checked? Yes. This is the response. I may not be thrilled by the fact that I would have to deposit my bags at the counter when I enter a movie theater. This is not thrilling, but I am OK with it. But I am thrilled by the way I am designing my classes for the upcoming term. Developing on teaching techniques that the pandemic forced us to adopt, and I realized that I should have adopted them long time ago. That is my response to the days ahead. Adapt and develop. Only possible if there is cooperation from all. Else any response will appear heretical and thus worthy of being crushed. Too much baggage of a time long long ago. It is time, as Bowie said, “Changes, face the strange.”

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