by When I stopped publishing this blog on a daily basis, I didn’t think there would be such a long gap between then and the next time I put something up. But I haven’t known how to begin to address what is going on in this country now. I still don’t.
US is still ‘knee-deep’ in the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic, Fauci says—CNN
Protest erupts in Phoenix after viral video shows police fatally shooting man in parked car—WaPo
July 6, 2020
Checking in
by Ruth Neuwald Falcon, Seattle, Washington
“I feel like I’m in survival mode,” one friend said. “There is no bottom,” said another. “I’ve never felt like this in my life about people running the country,” said a third. “It’s like I don’t recognize myself and I don’t recognize my country.” Another one talked about how painfully disappointing it is to have it demonstrated every day, over and over again, how many people don’t care about others. “They don’t give a damn about anyone except themselves,” she said. “How did we get here?”
It’s no wonder the EU is not allowing Americans to enter. Apart from the fact that we are the Typhoid Marys of the world, why on earth would anyone want to have ignorant, selfish people as guests? They wouldn’t. I know we’re not all like that, but it is so dispiriting to see how many of us are. The Ugly American has never been more demonstrably present. Yes, the trouble starts at the top, but there is rot on the bottom too. And in the middle.
So, where do we go from here? Literally, many of us are going nowhere. We are still staying home, doing our best to keep ourselves and others safe. But it is getting harder to know how to write about what this experience is like. We’ve covered a lot of ground in the past three-plus months and there is just so much one can say about staying home and being isolated. Or is there? There must be more for us to uncover in ourselves and in this experience. I certainly hope so.
Ruth Neuwald Falcon 
Ruth, thanks for writing these. I think what disturbs me the most about the 45 administration, is that he and his cronies are such heartless, cruel people, they have brought out the worst in ME, and I find that I spend an inordinate amount of time hating at a level I never thought I was capable of. It is something I have to fight against every day, and I hate that I am doing that. I’ve started posting photos again on an email list of long time friends, even though I’m really not able to physically get out and go on photo jaunts anymore, just because that seems to bring some sanity back into my life! So I’m using old photos they haven’t seen in years, and they do appreciate it and encourage me. We all need so much support these times, just to get through the darn day!
Carol “If we could see the miracle of a single flower, clearly, our whole life would change.” ~Buddha
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I have been trying to figure out how to respond to your writing today, dear Ruth, and to be at least somewhat encouraging, though it is so easy to fall right into discouragement. What I am coming up with is a realization of how many very good and smart people are following the health guidelines to help us finally rid our world of this virus. I want to keep an image of all of these people keeping the faith and imagine sending hope to every one of them (us) that we will overcome!
I know that there are many of us whose spirits are being tested and at the same time, I know that there are folks who not only care for their own well-being, but genuinely care for their fellow human beings and know that the welfare of all is the responsibility of each of us. I will move forward with my head held high by doing what the public health scientists have told us would heal this pandemic, and I will pray that more and more people realize that we are very much in charge of what will become of us! I hope that this message might reach others who will join me.
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