No One is Coming Out of this Ahead
That is not to say that I am not having a hard time. I am. This sucks. I am sick of not going anywhere except when I have to. I am sick of being at work and someone giving me a cup of Tim Horton's coffee. On one hand, I want to lecture them about it being the Evil Empire. On the other one, I don't have the time and also they are trying to be nice so I need to be gracious.
I am missing my friends terribly but I am also blessed that I have remarkable friends. To keep my mental health, I am checking in on three friends virtually each day. I have to apologize to one of them who has since recovered from Covid19. After his diagnosis, he got a lot of attention and check-ins. Since he has recovered, I sort of have put him on the back-burner. Although he is recovered, he is still working from home and still has mental health needs like we all do.
I have to confess I am checking-in on one friend everyday for selfish reasons. I am literally fraying his last nerve. It is a good thing there are physical distancing regulations in place, otherwise, I am sure he would come over and wring my neck. He is having the biggest sustained life crisis of all times and I am sending these inspirational phone calls about how I am counting my blessings. He is doing nothing but counting his money or lack there of. His bills are still rolling in but no income in coming. He won't apply for any benefits because they are for poor people. Essentially, he is realizing that true richness doesn't have much to do with money. And my messaging telling him that this is great dress rehearsal for retirement are not raising his spirits. That's ok. They are raising my spirits beyond words. After I talk to him, I giggle for about 30 minutes. I know I shouldn't take pleasure in someone else's displeasure, but he just rubbed my nose in his excesses for so long, I just can't help it.
And, for my friend, the worst part for him is that things will never go back to normal. He thinks one day, in a short time, everything will go back to what it was and he can start earning money again. The thing is that we will never get back to business as usual. The federal and provincial governments have given out unprecedented amount of aid and assistance. The governments will have no choice but to try and recoup this back. Tax reform will have to happen. There is one fundamental principle that guides life and that is you can not get blood from a stone. Those of us who have been paying our fair share just can't pay anymore. That means that people who have the means to do so will be taxed more. There is no choice. Loopholes will have to close. We have heard over and over that we are in this together and that will occur post-pandemic..Those that have more will have to pay more.
We have seen extraordinary examples of people doing generous acts of kindness. Now, those that survive will no longer have an option to give and it won't be random. It is will affect everyone. The rich will no longer get richer but the poor will not get any poorer. We hopefully will learn the value of an emergency fund and hopefully we will learn what is a want and what is a need.
My provincial government has suggested that some workers may be subject to having hours reduced. I don't want that to happen, but I am also a pragmatist. There will be many jobs that won't survive this pandemic so I think it is better to have a reduced income then no income at all.
Bottom line, this pandemic is testing the good graces of all of us. None of us are going to come out of this ahead. That is the reality. But, we can do ourselves a favour by taking care of our mental health so that we come out of this in the best frame of mind possible. Now, it is time for me to make my cheerful check-in call.
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