The pandemic has become a permanent reality. An end is not really in sight, despite the vaccine. Meanwhile life goes on around the margins of COVID.
We are fine. Our family is fine. But things seem to be falling apart elsewhere. Two days ago the adult son of an old friend was murdered. In his home. No arrests as yet. I will call her again tomorrow and I ordered a gift basket but what really can be done to stem the grief? Nothing. Another old friend has her only child, a daughter, dying. On IV fluids. A neighbor's grandson age 27 committed suicide. A neighbor at the country place we go to every year had a grandson in his 20's die. An old classmates adult son was found dead in his apartment early in the pandemic. No autopsy. The authorities were afraid it was COVID. A former colleagues son died of an overdose. A friend was vaccinated and is horribly sick. He was so sick, he was tested for COVID. Another friend can't get an appointment to be vaccinated. Our BIL has increasingly severe dementia. SIL is exhausted caring for him. Got someone to come in a few hours a day but that is not enough. I remember my mother with dementia needing 24-7 care. She was literally in a vegetative state when she died at 97.
These tragic events didn't always seem to happen with such frequency. I think it is the economic stress, ambiguity about the future, and increasing political radicalization that is adding to much of these events.
