8 minutes and 46 seconds..... why it matters

8 minutes and 46 seconds.   Doesn't seem like a very long time, does it....or DOES it?   It’s already July and the last few weeks of May and the whole month of June have been filled anxiety, tension and to be honest..... anger.    Yes, we have still been dealing with the aftermath of the coronavirus.... and the restrictions and feeling the economic fall-out from it.   We have watched the lowest unemployment in the history... flip to be the highest.  We have watched as our once US economy that was booming and soaring.... render itself lifeless.  Now.... in the aftermath of all of that.... we are dealing with yet another crisis.   This crisis is one of a different kind.  The crisis of race.  Black vs white.  Black vs yellow.  Black vs. orange.  Basically... black vs anything.... Wait... are you sure?   Yes.... I am sure, that racism is alive and well.... and it still rears its uglyiness to remind us of how far we have come..... yet, how far we have to go.  

It’s taken me awhile to actually write this post... because..... I wanted to make sure that from an emotional writing, it was my thoughts and not my anger that eventually, showed through the words.   By now, everyone knows the name, George Floyd.   If not, they have been living under a rock.   Floyd, an African American man was arrested, detained and held on a sidewalk... handcuffed face down... with a Caucasian police office kneeling, placing his left knee between the mans neck and head, with pressure to his back.  There were 3 other police officers witnessing this scene along with bystanders.   The police officer.... held this man in this position for 8 minutes and 46 seconds.  Now... does it seem longer?   

What matters... is he was arrested, in handcuffs, lying face down... and already in custody.   What MATTERS is during this 8 minutes and 46 seconds, George Floyd repeatedly stated “I cant breathe” .  During this 8 minutes, 46 seconds.... Floyd, repeated stated, “please” and he couldn’t breathe.   It was apparent from all videos, the man was in distress.  George Floyd, called out for his mother.   George Floyd had bystanders stating he was in distress to the officers... with their response being, he’s fine.  

George Floyd became non-responsive about 6 plus minutes into this stance, and bystanders again, urging the officers to check his pulse.  One of the officers, checked and could not find one.   8 minutes and 46 seconds later, the arresting officer removed his knee from Floyds neck.  Floyd was motionless.  He was rolled onto a gurney and taken by ambulance.  George Floyd was pronounced dead about an hour later. 

In the aftermath of George Floyds death, protests around the country ignited for police brutality against African Americans.  The first protest held in Minneapolis, where the incident took place, took a turn for the worse, as a peaceful protest quickly turned into a riot, with the streets of Minneapolis being vandalized and police cars and the actual police station poetically decorated with graffiti - all for George Floyd.  (Or was it.....) 

It seems in the days that have passed since George Floyds death, some progress on this conversation regarding the treatment of ‘African /Americans could have been another opportunity to bridge the gap and to help find solutions.... instead, the days and terror filled nights have many disturbed that there is political trickery involved... with activists and Antifa riots being held in major cities across this country and being destroyed .... all in the name of George Floyd.   The memory of George Floyd and his final 8 minutes and 46 seconds are being lost in the message because of these rioters.  

Floyds family have called out for peace.  Many of the peaceful protesters have taken a stand against these rioters... but the end result is .... many of our cities have been destroyed and are having to be put back together piece by piece.  Now... all across America.... statues are being vandalized.  History, seemingly erased... and the conversation.... seems to get lost because the focus is not where it needs to be.  

8 minutes, 46 seconds.   Think about setting a timer.... and having a conversation about race.... with someone everyday for 8 minutes and 46 seconds.   What could you say?   What would you say?   The reality is... until we all look within ourselves....and realize that as human beings.... we all need to do better. ... nothing will change.   Recently, a friend of mine posted this... and it really hit home.  A child made the statement.... “if we dont care about the color of someone’s eyes, why should be care about the color of their skin?”.   The innocence of a child....who has nothing in their heart, but what they are taught will grow up to love one another, regardless of the color of someone’s skin.   

8 minutes, 46 seconds.   A conversation about race.  About inclusion.  About diversity.   Not sure its enough time..... you’re right, its not... but, its a beginning, its a start and it would serve the tragedy of Floyds death, far better than rioting, looting and tearing down Americas cities.  

There have been many calls to defund the police.  Get rid of the police.  Think about that for a moment.  Simply take a moment... and think what would happen to our country, if there were NO police.   As a society, it seems easy to judge a whole category based on the actions of 1.   But, its wrong.   NOT all police are bad.  

There are those who would argue that law enforcement treat those of skin color differently.   I am not a police officer, nor am I black... so honestly, I do not know, but the conversations that I have had with my black friends.... is one that is alarming.   I am a worrier, by nature.  I worry about everything.  My kids are grown adults and I still worry about them.  I worry about my grandson... but as I thought about the things I worry about... it hit me, that as an African American, they are worrying about things...that we take for granted.  Simply, walking out the door... 

I did look up deaths... and there were 19 white deaths and 9 african american in the last year from police.   So... why the outrage... why the conversation.  Martin Luther King, Jr. Was a great man and brought forth major change when it came to the African American community.   His words resonated and he brought unity of communities.  Racial division has long been part of the history of this great country.   Right or wrong, it was there in the past and tireless hours and been given to bring forth great change.   You would think in this day and time.... we would not be having these conversations.  But... the stark truth is.... racism still exists in this country. It exists in individuals.  It exists in hearts.  The way to create change is through conversations followed with actions that matter.  Not riots.  Not destroying our cities and communities.  So.... every day.... for 8 minutes and 46 seconds.... have a conversation with someone on how, together, we can all work to treat one another equally.   Set your timer.... you may find, its the most productive time you’ve spent in a while.   For those that want a better tomorrow and to really bring forth change..... it doesnt happen overnight.... and we cannot erase history.... nor should we.... we should learn from history and realize that without it, we would not be here.... but, just because it is history, doesnt mean we have to repeat it.  

8 minutes and 46 seconds.  Yes... it mattered then and it matters now.    

Topsy Turvy and Life’s Pause

As I sit and try to absorb the thoughts swirling in my head... it’s hard to imagine, that suddenly, without warning life turned topsy turvy and everything that we knew.... paused.  For years, we have dealt with outbreaks of influenza that affect our schools and communities... and doctors ask us... to get the flu shot every year, or if your child comes down with it.... keep them home until they are no longer running fever.   In 2008 or was it 2009, there was an outbreak of a different strain of a virus, they named Swine Flu.. that impacted many globally and the United States.

In January... there was some news about another strain of a virus that at the time, they referenced it as the Wuhan virus, (then later it was referenced as coronavirus and now simply COVID-19),  because it originated in Wuhan, China.   It was mainly affecting China in late November/December and the US had not seen any cases.   In mid January, around January 12, 2020, there was a reported case of Covid-19 in Seattle, WA.  It was said that the person who had it, had been in Wuhan, China.   From January 12, to January 29, Seattle became a bit of a hotspot with the number of cases growing.   At the time, there was no testing being done for Covid-19, so it is difficult to know if the number of cases were accurate, but according to the CDC website, it looks as if there were around 50 plus by the end of the month.   With the cases, growing, The President of the United States, shut the borders to/from China at the end of January.  

Covid-19 is an enemy.   It has perpetrated our society, and along with the media and the fear they have instilled, we are now living in a pandemic.   Now... before I continue writing... I want to insert a little history here.... just for the sake .... of clarification on how this enemy came to be.

  The news report stated that it had come from a  “wet” market here.    Now... I have not been to China, nor have I seen a “wet” market, but just the phrase bothered me.
(For the record... for those who do not know.... wet markets sell fresh vegetables, fruit, seafood and meat.) Think of it as a “farmers” market, that is probably more extensive with it’s open-air stalls.   Some of these “wet” markets actually sell and slaughter live animals on site.   It is rare for one to sell wild animals and their meat... but, the wet market in Wuhan (Huanan market) did have a wild animal section where you could purchase snakes, beavers, porcupines, and baby crocodiles among other animals.   The term “wet” came to be because of the liquid within these markets;  live fish splashing in tubs of water, or melting ice keeping the fresh meat cold, the innards of the slaughtered animals.... and another reasoning was that they deal with perishable goods (thus wet) instead of dry, durable goods.   (One thing to note is that wild animals used for food can lead to disease.   They have been proven to be linked to disease outbreaks in humans, including Ebola and HIV).   It may not be a stretch to believe that the coronavirus may have jumped from animals to people.   People that buy slaughtered wild animals is one way for an animal-borne disease to infect people.  If these animals are already sick, or kept in dirty, cramped conditions like stacked cages, then again...viruses can be present when animals are under duress.  These viral pathogens can intermingle, swap bits of their genetic code and even mutate that might make them more transmissible.  For respiratory diseases, like coronavirus, the virus can jump to food handlers or customers through exposure to an animal’s bodily fluids.  ****   For disclaimer purposes, I am NOT a doctor, nurse or any field in healthcare.   But... I did look up and do a little research on where this particular virus came from because I really wanted to know... how something from Wuhan, China could create the current situation that every American is living in.

Now... that we’ve had our history lesson.... which honestly... is something that we should know because as you begin to learn about this virus.... we all need to understand, it did not originate in the United States.  It was contracted from an individual or individuals who were overseas and hopped on an airplane and brought it into the US.

Now... Just to give more backdrop... and again, just so anyone who may have been under a rock... knows, the House of Representatives had impeached the President of the United States.  There were a number of hearings and then the House Judiciary Committee began on December 4th and on December 13th, it was voted on for 2 articles of impeachment.   Now... typically, once articles have been voted on, the Speaker would send them within the next few days.  Not this time and you’re probably wondering what this has to do with a virus... well.... I’m getting there.   The Speaker sat on the articles and did not send them to the Senate for 15 plus days.  The Senate trial finally began on January 16th and it ended on February 5th, when the President was acquitted.     During the month of January and February, the news coverage was impeachment mania.   There was very little information or reports on coronavirus with the exception to report what was going on in China.

Now..... by mid February, with the impeachment done, the news turned its attention to the virus but it wasn’t until March when it was apparent that Covid-19 was an enemy.   On March 13, 2020, our life paused.  Most of the school age kids were out for spring break.  Little did they know, it would be the longest spring break they have ever had... and are still having as of this writing.

The world turned TOPSY TURVY and ... everything in your normal routine .... was no more.  Life Paused.

The President of the United States declared a national emergency and the WHO and CDC confirmed that the coronavirus was a pandemic.  NBA cancelled basketball games.  MLB cancelled baseball games, the NHL season was cancelled,  NASCAR cancelled races and in the days that followed, every major sporting event was cancelled or postponed  including all PGA events, including the Masters and the Kentucky Derby.  Following those lines.... conventions, meetings and events were cancelled or postponed.  Major festivals were cancelled like Coachella, Stagecoach and more.   It started with no events with more than 250 people, then a week later, it was no more than 50 people and now... it currently stands that you can not have a gathering of no more than 10 people.

 In the weeks that followed, government mandates came down to shelter in place either from a local level or from a state level and that only ‘ESSENTIAL’ businesses could remain open.  The definition of essential still bothers me, because to me... every business is essential if it is providing a paycheck to feed a family.  What was essential?   Grocery stores, pharmacies, hospitals (but they were solely focused on Covid-19 for the most part) and car repair and parts.     Churches were closed and services went online.  There were several that got creative and did drive up services, but never in my lifetime, I had I heard of a church being closed.

Schools and universities were shuttered and kids... were left in limbo for a couple of weeks, and then distance learning and online classes were quickly put into play.   For businesses considered non-essential, ZOOM and Go-to Meetings became the “new norm” as best as it could be considered a new norm.  Parents were suddenly thrust home with their children, trying to work from their homes as well as home school.   Topsy turvy and the world kept spinning.

Movie theatres, gyms, casinos, hotels, bars and many restaurants were closed.   They limited restaurants to curbside pick-up, drive-thru or delivery for those that could manage it.  People were without jobs and unemployment rose to an all time high and is currently still rising.   State parks, campgrounds, beaches and parks were all closed.   Those who had family members in the hospital, could not visit.  Those who had family in nursing homes, could not visit.    Basically, the only area where you could move about was your house, your yard or a walking trail.  

Airlines and airports were empty and the few travelers that were flying were on “essential” business for the most part.  Trains were stopped.  Buses were stopped.  There was nothing operating with any groups of people on it.  The cruise line industry was hit hard... with several ships having massive outbreaks of the virus, which created, more panic.

WASH YOUR HANDS became a mantra, a series of sing-a-longs and every social media posts for weeks was about the 20 second hand washing tutorials.   The grocery stores, became, empty due to the fear and the panicked who rushed to get toilet paper, hand sanitizer, disinfecting wipes and suddenly.... whatever you thought you knew... you no longer knew.  

Suddenly, our days were filled with daily briefings, the demand for ventilators, PPE equipment, testing, vaccines and answers.   A coronavirus task force was put in place and suddenly and rapidly, testing ramped up and we were hearing from the director of infectious diseases every day.   Dr. Fauci, became a household name as well as the recent muse of a SNL skit where he was played by Brad Pitt.

After the first few weeks went by, and the shock initially wore off, families began to realize the hardship of being in a pandemic and the mandates.   Social distancing became the new “it” and staying 6 feet away from each other was the protocol.  We kept hearing that we had to stay home to “flatten the curve”.   We had to stop the virus in its tracks.   Wearing masks became fashionable... and .. well, maybe not so much, but they are now mandated attire.  Life paused and suddenly and abruptly, you became very aware that it would not go back as it once was... life had forever been altered and changed.... and with it... each of us.

For me, personally, my office is at my house, so working from home has not been that big of a hardship.   I travel a lot.... so not being able to go and do what I would normally do... has bothered me.  The big thing for me was having to postpone my conference until the Fall.  It’s still a day by day learning.   Our industry was shuttered... many of my colleagues lost their jobs or were furloughed.   My customers and clients were sitting at a standstill.   While we sat still, the coronavirus kept raising in numbers of those affected.     I started weekly Zoom Happy Hours to connect with customers and clients, so that we could support one another.  It was pure joy seeing their faces on March 25th... after we had been quarantined for 3 weeks.  After the first one, we decided that we would have one every week.... just to have positivity and a way to check in and share information on our industry.   We were all struggling and hurting and not knowing how or when... we would return to our lives.

I have not traveled since February 26th.. which is the longest I have gone in over a decade without a business trip.   This week, is week 6 of quarantine.   And this week... we started seeing a little light at the end of the dark tunnel we have been in.   Some of the restrictions were eased.. with some of the retail stores being allowed to open but proper protocol - social distancing and in my small town, masks are required to enter.   In some states, restaurants have started allowing dine in services again, but its too early to tell how, these new protocols will affect the overall dining experience.

Topsy turvy and we continue to hope and pray that we are to the flattening stage and that life can get back to normal.  My niece is a nurse at our local hospital in the ICU step-down.  For the last 4 weeks, I have worried constantly about her... her physical stress, her mental stress.... and emotionally, how taking care of those sick with this virus, might affect her.  She sent me pics with her full PPE on and honestly, she looks like something in a futuristic movie.

Every day, my thoughts run the full gamut.   Angry, confused, worried, sad, depressed, happy at times and then just stressed.   I worry about the impact this will have on my grandkids.  Lane, who is 11, is in the 5th grade and while he seems to have adopted to his “online classroom”, I cant help but think he would rather be at school seeing his friends.  Little League Travel Ball cancelled and that is his heart and soul... and for me, watching him.    John-Richard, is 18 and a senior.  The last 2 months of his senior year spent in quarantine.   A virtual graduation... and a small intimate one with only 5 family members and not the rest of his classmates.   No senior skip day, no senior parties and his final year on the high school baseball team abruptly ended.   Both have adapted, but again... emotionally, how are they really holding up.  

As we move into May and looking at the summer, what will our lives look like in 6 months.  Will our world be uprighted and the topsy turvy get back in sync.   I’ve thought a lot about everything that has been going on and the society that we all live... and I am a firm believer in all things happen for a reason.   I believe God is trying to tell all of us.... to stop, and pause.   Maybe we’ve all moved away from Him to the point, that He needed to get our attention again.   Maybe, we have put too much emphasis on things that honestly, get in the way of the things that should be the most important.  Whatever the reason, during this life’s pause, I have found myself.... sitting on my front porch, enjoying the ending of every day and the canvas that God has created with beautiful sunsets.   I have watched my flowers bloom and little birds hatch... and I have spent more time appreciating my life... and knowing how truly blessed I am.   Hitting reset... sometimes isn’t easy... but all of us have the opportunity to take this as one big reset and do better in the days ahead.

We’ve lost life to the coronavirus.  Many have been sick and many have recovered.   I took the antibody test this week because there were many who had it and had no symptoms.   With as much as I travel, and am around sick people on planes, I wanted to ease my mind a little.   I haven’t gotten the results and even if I test positive that I have the antibody, there are no guarantees that you’re immune to it and won’t contact it again.

So for now.... we look forward to each day, with more and more of our lives opening back up... with caution and care.   Every day, our new mantra is to wash your hands often, use hand sanitizer and wipes and limit where you go.   Yes, we are still topsy turvy and life’s pause is still happening... but the one thing we can all do every day... is pray.

Stay safe and God Bless You.