Sunday, May 03, 2020

Kay Hively: After coronavirus

We don’t know when, but this Coronavirus horror will surely end.

It may “end,” and then return, but we must pray for a vaccine that we are confident will produce some kind of closing. Until that time, we must all act responsibility.

Even as we begin to open our doors and get back to work, there will surely be actions we must take. We must take them seriously, as seriously as we have done with other orders we have been given.

Once we have passed through this virus hell, there will be many reflections. We will hear all the political finger-pointing as some politicians and trouble makers will pounce on everyone they see as an opponent. 








The truth will be lost in the political dustups and nothing on that front will likely be fruitful. I hope most Americans will turn a deaf ear to this kind of wrangling.

But there will be other reflections that will hopefully prove positive. If we as individuals have any wisdom, we will learn much from the pandemic of 2020. We will look within ourselves and seek what we have learned.

Where did we, as individuals, go wrong and how will we do better next time? Did we break the rules? Did we not care for or serve our brothers in need? Did we hoard supplies that others needed? Did we try to defraud someone or the government? Did we fail to pray?

What did we learn? Did we learn about keeping our bodies healthy? Did we discover the importance of “being prepared?” Did we learn patience and understanding and vow to do better, in good times and bad?

For months prior to this outbreak, we heard and read about people who were careless with their money. It was said that millions of people could not come up with $400 in an emergency, or did not even have a $1000 in their savings for anything, even their retirement.

Will we continue to spend our precious money on foolish or useless things? Will we spend money on illegal drugs or recreational marijuana? Will we take great vacations on borrowed money? Or will we recognize the importance spending free time with family, perhaps taking short trips to Branson or to a ballgame in Kansas City? Will we be reasonable when we plan weddings and other celebrations? Will we spend hundreds of dollars on video games or changing cell phones every year?

Will we be proud as we see a small savings account grow, little by little? Will we remember the great times we had with grandma and grandpa and with our children? Will we look back and be glad we took that low-paying job that turned into a nice career?

It is my hope that, as a country, we will reach the point of rebuilding our broken bridges, waterways, roads, airports, national parks and other public places instead of spending our tax money on things that don’t help the general public. May there be jobs and people willing to do them. May our fractured welfare system be changed and more people take pride in contributing rather than taking. May those in true need be blessed by the rest of us.

Who knows the future?

Just between you and me, I am sure this event will change us all, just which way will we will go.
(Kay Hively is a historian, author and former editor, reporter and columnist for the Neosho Daily News and Neosho Post.)

3 comments:

  1. Steve Holmes11:41 AM

    Maybe you want to go through this scare and inconvenience again, but I don't. I want to know where my *government*, the people who are supposed to protect us, dropped the ball. I want to know how the most powerful country in the world got blindsided by this. What you call "political wrangling" is an effort to get at the truth, and to hold people accountable. The GOP preaches that all the time.

    Someone screwed up, big-time. The executive branch is responsible for appointing the bosses of and setting policy for the Departments of Homeland Security and Health and Human Services, the agencies on the front lines of this. If you get the presidency, you get to make the big decisions -- and you have to take the heat for the failures.

    If you want to pray, pray that the next time this happens, we'll have smarter people in charge.

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  2. Anonymous3:44 PM

    I expect hearings and investigations into the failings of the Trump Administration and fellow traveler governors in direct proportion to the number of dead Americans.


    The Republkicans conducted SIX House inveestigations into the deaths of two American citizens at Benghazi.

    In proportion there arent's enogh trees or court recorders to give equal treatment to tens of thousands of dead Americans and still no adequate testing or federal response..


    Of course all the Trumpaloo faithful and dead ender Republicants will say things like this:

    We will hear all the political finger-pointing as some politicians and trouble makers will pounce on everyone they see as an opponent.


    and this:

    The truth will be lost in the political dustups and nothing on that front will likely be fruitful. I hope most Americans will turn a deaf ear to this kind of wrangling.

    Your criminal president and his followers who have fattened themselves on billions of dollars worth of tax breaks and direct aid are counting on you to stick a broomstick in the wheels of democratic oversight.





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  3. Anonymous9:52 PM

    @3:44 How do you know her political persuasion? Sounds like simple common sense to me. Something you are obviously lacking. Your hatred and your party's inability to set-up/oust the President has left you both unhinged. Oh and BTW, it was FOUR citizens that were left to die so President Davis* could complete his Syrian arms deals set-up by the traitor/confession signer John McCain. Damn D-slaves. * Barack Hussein's real father was Frank Marshall Davis.

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