Reduce Fear, but Don't Eliminate it. Last night, watching the Phantom of the Opera (Andrew Lloyd Webber) on TV, I got caught up in the magic of the show. At the end, I felt sad watching so many actors on stage in the Albert Hall in London, and the hall filled with people. I wondered would I would ever get to go to an auditorium, a ballpark, or a stadium without fear of catching a deadly disease. I know this is petty and small, but I felt sad. Many people are suffering far wor

Everyone Deserves the Benefit-of-the-Doubt - Including Yourself. It is tough not to be judgmental these days. When Mary and I go walking in the park, we appreciate our fellow walkers who move off to the side, giving us proper social distancing. We provide a lot of space to those who seem oblivious to giving up space and distance. It's hard not to feel judgment and blame. I get testy with the people I live with, my wife and daughter. Ruminating about everything we can’t do, it

We Are All First Responders. I think about how life changed for us after 9/11. Now metal detectors and security checks are common. Last summer, before we could get into Grant Park in Chicago for a concert (Grant Park is like Central Park in New York), we had to pass through metal detectors and security checked our bags. We fear the invisible terrorist outside of us. I think about the future. Will we get stopped at every entrance by someone who wields a thermometer to check ou

I’ve Overdosed on Outrage, Anger, and Resentment. I overdosed on outrage today. In headlines in the news and in comments on social media, everyone seems outraged. Not concerned. Not wanting to offer another opinion. Not looking for common ground or shared interests. Everything I read about is how someone believes that someone else is perpetrating a high crime that needs to be stamped out, wiped-out, and extinguished. Curiosity seems to have faded into a distant memory. There

We miss being with each other. Yesterday I walked to the Library. I knew it was closed, but I wanted to find out how long it would take me to walk downtown from my house. It is 1.36 miles and took 31minutes and 27 seconds. I enjoyed seeing traffic and other people out and about. I stopped for a moment to watch ironworkers perched on the top of steel I-Beams, scrambling around like squirrels, building the new health education center at St. Rita's Hospital. I have to admit that

Shopping isn't so much fun anymore. I used to enjoy grocery shopping. I like to see what’s in the stores, browsing for something I didn't know I even wanted, and finding it is something I can't live without! Now shopping has become an epidemiological nightmare and an ethical dilemma. I should only go shopping once a week at the most, maybe even every two weeks to limit exposing myself and my fellow shoppers. I see anything entering the house as some kind of foreign invader th

It Heals Our Toxic Thoughts Another tiny friend arrives. Sketch: Schoenhofer Watching the Governor's Press conference, I learned more about the trajectory of this virus. The “surge” in the virus may not arise for another week. The length of the Coronavirus sickness can last for weeks. 50% - 70% of us will contract the virus THIS YEAR. This is sobering news. No one alive has had this experience. It’s like an extended version of Hurricane Katrina. We can see it coming. We know

Anticipatory Grief—The Fearful Worry About What The Future Holds. An owl visits Calvin. Sketch: Schoenhofer Today, Mary and I volunteered at the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry. I looked forward to getting out of the house and doing more than take a walk. Mary sewed face masks for us and we got gloves to wear when we arrived. Four National Guardsmen were helping. I felt good that I could pitch in and help. Looking at my coworkers wearing face masks and gloves felt a little su

Our Collective Grief-The World is Changing. Life is changing for Calvin and friends. Sketch: Schoenhofer Life was different when I was young. I was a free-range kid. In the morning, when I took off on my bike, my mother would remind me to be back for dinner at 5:00PM. I remember practicing hiding under my desk as protection from nuclear fallout at school. I remember getting polio shots too. The world is different now. The world changed after the attacks on 9/11. Today, no one

I Never Imagined Staying At Home Would Be So Difficult. Things are growing. Sketch Schoenhofer On the News every night, I see pictures of healthcare workers overwhelmed with patients, grocery store workers inundated with customers, and truckers who keep the flow of goods moving. There are a lot more people I never see; warehouse workers, garbage collectors, people keeping the utilities going, and many more. My wife's friends, who can sew, are busy making masks for hospitals.