2022 is five days old. On any other year, the gyms would be packed with people. The ones who haven’t given up on their New Year’s Resolutions. Although the gyms are still full, this year is different. Omicron hit the population with the same force that Tijuana tap water hits a first-time tourist.
We’re starting the third year of a global pandemic, with Covid cases rising exponentially, and not enough tests available. Haven’t we been here before? If you can find a test, just remember the Rapid Test is only about 40% accurate. How confident would you feel if we found out that the surgeon performing your brain surgery had a 40% average while in medical school? That doesn’t exactly inspire confidence.
This week, I worked on a laptop on the dining room table. Sitting next to me, my son did his remote learning on a second laptop. My wife works remotely in our home office. It’s like Groundhog Day arrived early.
I’ll admit, keeping one eye on my laptop and another on my little guy as he tries escaping into the living room when he should do his schoolwork is frustrating. What’s the alternative? Do we return to school or work a week or two after families across the country celebrated super-spreader events, disguised as a Christmas holiday? I’m for erring on the side of caution.
Throughout this pandemic, I’ve learned to look for the silver lining, and we found one this afternoon. My son Cristian is an autistic child, who possesses a high cognitive ability, but has problems controlling his behavior. When I stepped away from the table to get a snack in the kitchen, I was amazed at what I found when I returned.
My wife Esther and I stood silently watching Cristian working with his occupational therapist on techniques to control his emotions. It’s something we would have missed if he was in school today, and we read the daily notes they send home in his backpack.
