Killer Virus

3May2023 © Lyn E. Ayre

I remember when the pandemic started, and we enjoyed all of the concerts from around the world on balconies and patios and rooftop decks while we were at home and in isolation.

I remember Andrea Bocelli singing in a huge empty cathedral, Duomo di Milano, on Easter Sunday. He was accompanied by the cathedral organist, Emanuele Vianell. I don’t remember the details. I just remember the feelings I had. Italy was in complete lockdown. 

We found ways to connect, to create, and to continue forward. We came together and through live streaming, we gave from our hearts.

Father/daughter duo, Mat and Savanna Shaw touched us deeply with their beautiful songs. Their harmonies and the way they presented themselves charged us up. Music is so healing.

Live streaming interviews came to us through Facebook and YouTube, and we lived ‘in the box’ and shared everything we had. TikTok grew in popularity and launched many a young singer, poet, rapper, and/or dancer.  

Zoom bloomed and my own life changed forever because of it. While illness had kept me home and isolated before, now I could attend my writers’ group and my art group and my AA group because they were all on Zoom. I had no fear of challenging my weekend immune system.

I wasn’t able to have people in the house, but I was able to have porch visits. I wasn’t able to take my son into a restaurant for his birthday supper, but I was able to park beside him while he ate in his car, and I ate in my van. We had to get creative and some of us were absolutely ingenious. 

I remember seeing on the news where one family put up a plexiglass divider in their driveway, with holes cut out where there was some type of Saran Wrap or animal husbandry gloves, and you could put your arms through that and hug the person on the other side of the plexiglass. Brilliant. 

Family get-togethers like birthdays, Christmas, and Thanksgiving dinner were all done on Zoom. Fantastic.

It was a trial and a testament to the human spirit. Eighteen million people worldwide succumbed to the effects of the coronavirus. Horrifying.

The medical community was pushed to the breaking point. The red heart that I painted is still in my window today to honour them. The first responders. The frontline workers. I’ll never forget them or what they did for us, for our loved ones. I send them my gratitude and blessings every day.

Fewer of my loved ones are dying from the coronavirus. I lost eight people from my friend circle. I had a go with it in February 2022 for three weeks. Man, was I sick.

So here we are, three years later. I’ve completed writing four books during this time. They’ve all been published. My book launches happen on Zoom now. I visit with my far-away relatives on Zoom. Folks I haven’t seen for decades. Wonderful.

My art and writing communities are not on Zoom anymore. But I’m able to see some of them from time to time as we go out to lunch.

I’ve had all of my shots. I still wear my mask when I go out. Things have calmed and rules have relaxed. I must still be vigilant. But I love people and I love life and I’m so happy I get to still live it. This is the third pandemic I’ve survived. Hey, maybe I’m a cat and have nine lives.

Love, Lyn