BY RANDY SCHULTZ –
Coronavirus/COVID-19.
Three to four months ago we hardly even knew the name, let alone what it was. Today, it is an illness that is sweeping much of the world.
This past week the Coronavirus has brought the United States to its knees, watching State after State shut down businesses and basically telling people to stay home. I know I don’t have to tell you the rules and regulations that are now in place for New York State.
And like you, because of our ages, my wife and I have pretty much confined ourselves to our home. Considering that a week to 10 days ago our schedules were filled with hockey games to cover.
But in the blink of an eye that was all taken away from us, either through cancellation or postponement. It didn’t take long to figure out that the world doesn’t revolve around hockey.
Now I’m not here to offer any sage advice. I’m just going to give you my two cents.
I’m glad that I was raised by parents who grew up in the Depression Era of our country. There is a reason why those people are known as “The Greatest Generation.”
To many of you, those people could be your parents, grandparents or great-grandparents. To them, Coronavirus would be or is just another situation to deal with in life.
Sacrifice is the key word for “The Greatest Generation.” My parents sacrificed a great deal when they were growing up.
For the most part, people didn’t have much money during the depression. So they didn’t have many materialistic goods and what they did have, they valued.
And no sooner had “The Greatest Generation” come out of the Depression, along came World War II. Again, more sacrifice. There was rationing of different items like food and gas, among other things.
There was the War itself. A War were the public waited days, weeks and even months for news. People weren’t sure that when the war was over with if they would still be US citizens or be taken over by Japan, Germany or Italy.
Plus, a couple of diseases came long like Measles and Polio in the 1940’s. I lost an uncle, my father’s brother, to Polio.
They survived all of this without cell phones, cable television or any of the other communication devices at their disposal.
But through it all “The Greatest Generation” persevered. They passed their toughness and strength onto the next generation.
What is my point to all of this? We will survive, especially if we do everything we are told to do.
We have to work together. We have to believe and put our trust in our leadership and in each other.
As a side note, this has been the most disjointed hockey season I’ve ever experienced. I had major back surgery back in mid-November. I didn’t go back to any hockey games until early January.
For over a month I was restricted as to where I could go and what I could do. But I survived just as we will survive this Coronavirus situation.
Life has a way of throwing us curveballs. I learned several months ago not to take life for granted. I’ve learned to appreciate the little things in life.
I believe many of you feel the same way. And others are learning that lesson today.
We will get through this. It may take awhile. Have patience.
And when this is all over don’t forget to “Thank” all of those people who are out there helping the rest of us through this situation. That would include doctors, nurses and truck drivers, among others. Support local businesses, especially the restaurants.
That generation that came before us have set the example for us to follow. Let’s do that and build on it.
