Being 70, I think I finally qualify as a "Senior". Few of us older people are saying much about this pandemic, but I feel a need to put my perspective "out there". We all know what a difficult time we live in. Most seniors understand that younger people need to work to support their families and that we all need goods and essential services to continue to be provided.
We seniors have seen other countries shut down to get the covid 19 virus into control, while our country refuses such measures, prefering to champion "freedom" instead. We have seen young people exerting their "freedom" as they revel in their "no mask" parties. We see people protesting against their government leaders restricting their lives in any way, while criticizing these same leaders for "not taking action" during this pandemic. Now, in sadness, we see Americans bemoaning the "meanness" and "hard heartedness" of their government leaders in discouraging holiday gatherings.
Many seniors, realizing that we may die if we become ill with the virus, are remaining in our homes and wearing masks when we leave to receive medical care, or to get food. Even with these measures, we may still get covid, and we will likely need medical care to keep us from dying.
Though we deeply appreciate all the sacrifices and kind things younger people are doing for us, we also wonder why they can not see, that at our present rate of contagion, some of the people who come to their traditional holiday feasts will not live to return the next year.
It is not just the old who are at risk of dying from this pandemic, but also those with health problems: the diabetics, the overweight, those with heart problems, and those with conditions which affect breathing such as sleep apnea, bronchitis, and allergies. Are you willing to accept responsibility for the death of a grandchild with asthma, or for a daughter with young children who has a heart problem, or for a diabetic grandfather? I am not.
I know that some people consider me old and not worth giving up some of their "freedom" to protect, but I could live perhaps another twenty five productive years. I want to live those years. My husband, my children, grandchildren, and friends would like me to remain here also. I promised my little granddaughter that I would come to her wedding, and that is a promise I would like to keep.
I think it is fair that since our hospitals are now full that the limited strength of the medical personal and the life sustaining equipment should go to the young. Though I want to live, I would choose their life over my own, as I believe most older people would. I am starting to feel less altruistic, though, as I see people with little risk refusing to wear masks and insisting on large family holiday feasts when our hospitals are already filled to capacity. I know that their irresponsible actions may cost me, my husband, or our friends their lives.
This is one of the main reasons that we elect government leaders; to make reasonable rules to protect us. We do not think that people have the "right" to drive at high speeds. We accept these rules because we do not believe that people have the "right" to endanger our lives. Yes, we should be free, but we are not free to cause harm to other people. As the old saying goes, "Your freedom ends where my nose begins".
Though my grandmother's heart yearns to be with my family, I accept the reality that though I have the ability to choose my actions and reactions, I do have have the ability to choose the consequences of my actions. The fact is that large gatherings of people quickly spread the covid-19 virus, and it is especially dangerous when people are eating together without distancing or masks. No amount of focusing on our "rights", or "freedoms", or the need to continue family traditions is going to make the pandemic go away. The question we must ask ourselves is, "Is tradition more important than lives?"
No comments:
Post a Comment