Among Friends

[hckynut]

@Shanus 

I am a WWII junkie and have watched any video I can find about it, and on both War Fronts. I am old enough to remember President Truman making a visit to our city. The Enola Gay B-29 was manufactured in a suburb of our city. That may have been the reason for his visit after WWII ended with Japan's Unconditional Surrender!

Guess I am repeating what I have said many times over the years on these forums. I am not and have never been a "What if/Might be/Could have/Should have" person. Tying that inextricably with me being an Eternal Optimist? My mind does not wander too far into "what might/could be". 

Have had plenty of in hospital weeks where my mind could have wandered, but that would be foreign to my way of looking at life. All my adult life I have been one that always sees the "Proverbial Light" at the end of the tunnel. Covid-19 will not change that regardless of how long that might be.

Hopefully there are many that look at certain times similarly, but I do understand why so many are unable to see things the same way as I do.

Everyone stay safe and well. This too shall pass!

hckynut

[hckynut]

@Vivian Florimond

Thank you for sharing things your mother remembers. FDR indeed was a strong leader during those times of the war. You mention that she was 19 during some of those years. Many unfortunately do not understand that many fighting in all branches of the Armed Forces, were only 17 and 18 year old woman(girls) and men(boys).

Many of the bomber and fighter pilots were barely in their 20's. To many this should give some perspective of the "love of country" as many of those Service Men joined, right out of high school. They were not drafted and they knew they would be integral parts of The War.

Thank you for sharing and stay safe and well.

hckynut

[lovemyparrot]

My 92-year old Aunty, originally from England, seems so much more optimistic than I.  She says she lived through the Blitz in London during WWII and so she can live though just about anything.

The difference is during that war, people would gather together in groups, you could sing patriotic songs, Aunty would go for an evening meal most every night at the YWCA with all the local friends.  They only had beans on toast but it was warm and they had good company.

That, to me, is the big difference with this "war,"    Some of us are isolated and scared and feel very much alone.

[Patriot3]

@Shanus   I said something similar to this about three weeks ago.  I feel like we are in WW3.  I said that if there was ever a WW3, we wouldn't be spared this time.  It is coming true.  Maybe we aren't dodging bullets, but we are trying to dodge an enemy we can't see or hear.  We just know it is out there and if we go out is it going to get us?

With all the ISIS trouble in the recent past (and I'm sure they are still around laying low), I thought, "I wonder how soon someone will start germ warfare".  Here it is.

I lived thru WW2 and even as a child I can remember the blackouts, the rationing, the fear that we wouldn't have food and even shoes.  The fear during the blackouts was horrible.

Now that I am in the vulnerable age of "elderly" it gets scarier every day.  Will we face rationing and more?  The isolation is terrible.  Time will tell.  I send you all prayers that you stay safe!

[Shanus]

@Patriot3  I don't remember seeing your post, but agree with what you said. Early 70's for me and mid-70's for DH, so we're elderly, too. What's strange is that since both my parents lived until 90, I never thought I was elderly...had 20 years to go...before THIS happened. Wishing you good health and easy ways to pass the time.

[hckynut]

@Patriot3 

I am guessing from your post you are older than  my almost 81. I fall into the "elderly with 2 underlying medical problems", that said. You mention blackouts/food rationing/no shoes etc. and I do not remember any of those things. Though I grew up in Public Housing Projects, we were poor, but we never had our food rationed, other than for lack of money. 

Living in fear of things that may never happen at an "elderly age"!  Will leave it at that.

hckynut

[spursfan2]

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@roxxy1 wrote:

I sit here crying and afraid.

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I sit with you crying and afraid as well. my optimism & resolve crumbled today with the news that this lockdown is being extended minimally until the end of April. I'm terrified our countrys economy cant survive. its unrealistic to think a country can survive 2 month of complete shutdown. I worry about the emotional stability of the isolation of an entire country that a month ago was prosperous & social. I live in Louisiana & I see pictures of abandoned New Orleans streets being taken over by rodents. And my state is now considered a "hot spot". There are over 200 confirmed cases in Caddo Parish alone. Many many more in Orleans Parish. Up until today I was optimistic that this will pass & we will triumph. Now I am in tears, afraid & alone.

[Katcat1]

This too shall pass.  Remember AIDS and how many people died?  I lost several friends to AIDS and they were young (early 30's).  I am sure our scientists are working diligently to finding a cure to this COVID 19.  I know they have the Malaria drug.  People need to listen to our local government (governor, mayor) and stay home unless you absolutely have to go out.

[roeroe1005]

I agree that we are fighting an invisible enemy.  And that is what makes this thing so scary.  Yes, I've been quarantining, but I do go to the supermarket.  I've suddenly become aware of going down an aisle that another person is in.  Do they have it and not know it?  Are they a carrier??  I don't want to live like that! 

I got the newspapers in Wawa this morning.  It was very empty, but I as I paid the cashier, I was not 6 feet away.  Does she have it, is it on the change I got back from my $20?  That is what is so frightening.  Even if she doesn't have it, is she a carrier?  You can make yourself go crazy.

I cough alot.  I'm allergic to trees, cats, dogs, grass, dust, etc.  I'm usually at the allergist this time of the year.  I'm terrified to cough in public!  I don't want to get attacked.

My 27 year old nephew has been confirmed with covid19.  He says he feels fine, but of course is home.  This is his 9th day of quarantine.  He's a firefighter in Westchester and it's going thru the firehouses.  You can't stand 6 ft. apart fighting a fire.  My sister can't go in the house because she doesn't want to bring it home to her husband, who is also a firefighter.  And he has elderly parents.  It just goes around and around.  And to add to our stress, my other nephew, who is a state trooper, lives upstairs with his pregnant wife.  Ugh.  And I'm 200 miles away, not that I can do anything to help them.

And since not all of us will be tested, how can we say it's not in this state or that city.  What if we complete our quarantine and I go get the mail and our mail carrier has it but does not know?  Do we start all over again?  Comparing it to the flu is bs, you have the flu and you know you are sick and you do what you need to do to get better.  Plus there's medication.  Not with this.

Sorry to go on and on.  I don't want to it to consume my life, but it is frightening.

But on the positive side, my apartment is really, really clean!

[mspatmac]

This is an amazing thread and I thank OP for expressing so eloquently what many of us are feeling.  I live alone and at times it gets lonely but I am cautiously optimistic and doing what is recommended by Dr Fauci and wish everyone would,  Stay safe