The Four Pillars of COVID-19

Electron microscope scan of corona virus

Another deadly disease is here, a living enemy. It escaped into the world. Whatever or wherever or whomever it came from may be found out later, or not.  The effects have been fourfold:

Physically:  Quarantined.  From neighbors, friends, family.  Jobs are curtailed or cancelled. Schools are closed. All parks are closed, gyms are empty and restaurants are going out of business.  No contact except those with whom we live - brothers, sisters, husbands, children.  Airports empty, planes grounded, trains sidelined. The borders are closed. 

Financially:  Strapped, living paycheck to paycheck. Anxiety and fear.  Isolation with bored, restless children, no school, park, no bicycles, no friends. Nerves are contracting, tempers are shortening.  Angry landlords are not getting rent, mortgages are not getting paid. Paychecks unavailable. Refunds are not available for cruises, vacations, music festivals. Anger is building. Money is running out.  Stores are shuttered, with apologies and take-out. Bars are closed. Fear and stress is rising.

Emotionally:   No outlets. No parties, no dancing, no parks, no swimming pools, no gyms, no malls, no schools, no coffee. Alone. An emergency number if needed. Alcohol sales have increased.  Numbers by death and fear every day on t.v., death, death.  Isolation. Distance.  Depression, anxiety, suicide, murder, burglary, robbery - all rising. The homeless. The streets. Drugs, addiction, the plague, prison, old age home death, the old living alone, the dead, the disease.  

Psychologically:   Drugs to cope. Sedated, confused. Fear. Repossessions. Threats, tempers, fear, high anxiety. Stress. The bills. Separations. The doomsday pushers. Nervous breakdowns. A build-up and then release of - anger.

How am I coping alone with the isolation? I imagine myself incarcerated, then I compare my incarceration with a real prison, real isolation, the misery.  I go outside. With perspective, my incarceration/isolation is easier.