No, not the coronavirus, Covid 19, or whatever name you use. I’m an optimist. Life is coming back, the new normal, the hopes, the friends and yes even vacation. Of course, it will be different. Let’s face it, until a vaccine happens, great treatments and better testing, (which I believe will come quicker than we ever imagined), life as we want it, need it, crave it, will come back.
The beach. It is still here. The waves are still rolling in, the dolphins are jumping in the cleanest sea they have seen for decades, and the birds are having a ball. It is waiting for you. I know it’s tough to stay away from something that brings you joy. Trust me we have looked at the sea for two months and have not been able to set a foot on it. We have smelled the saltwater and not been able to jump in. No toes in the sand. NO boats in the water. But we can see it, smell it and hear it. Perspective.
Let me ask you a question, before this explosive silent virus infected our life, did you know, I mean really know about the Spanish Flu Pandemic of 1918?
I bring this up for perspective. That extreme deadly flu, caused by the H1N1 Influenza A Virus lasted for a year and infected 500 million people. This mega pandemic is estimated to have taken over 20 million lives, to as high as 50 million, Wikipedia states “possibly even 100 million lives making it one of the deadliest pandemics in human history.”
Wow. All of this occurred at a time when the snapshot of society was extremely different to the world we know today. No social media, no 24 hours news briefings, no commercial advantages of transportation, medical resources, modern-day inventions. Heck even processed foods and refrigeration did not exist in the same way as the luxuries we have in the year 2020. To put it in even more perspective, back then the population of this planet was estimated to be 1.8 billion. Compare that to the 8 billion lives we have roaming the earth today.
Luckily at this time, we do not have those crazy numbers of lives lost, and we have technology and communication to have more accurate accounting. We have wonderful delivery drivers and grocery stores that are stocked. If you are in the states, you have Amazon bringing you whatever you want to your door. We have healthcare systems with modern technology, brilliant scientists and we have work at home jobs that have been in place before this all began, and companies that continue to exist in almost the same way that they did pre virus times. What work at home jobs did they have in 1918?
Perspective. It has been said the pendulum swings, history in some form or another repeats itself. Well, the pendulum is swinging almost 100 years later.
However, we are better than we were before, and we will be better again after this pandemic fades into a historical moment in every one of our lives, but 100 years from now they might not even speak of it. Before this happened, there wasn’t a lot of coverage on the 1918 virus that possibly took 100 million lives, (100 million!!) the mass burials and famine. Somehow as time went on, we forgot, and modern technology and healthcare helped it seem more removed.
I believe as time continues to go on, this too will pass, and we will put this in the back of our minds and forget how the entire world stopped and everybody stayed at home and quarantined.
I have a lot of friends and family who ask me how’s “Quarantine Life” in Rocky Point?
For those who are wondering what it would be like if you rented a condo down here or came down to stay in a condo, this is our perspective:
At least we get to wake up every day and see the Sea, smell the ocean, hear the waves, see the clean blue sky and experience a quiet and peacefulness that Rocky Point hasn’t seen since the early 80’s. We miss walking the beach, and splashing in the sea, or going to an event with friends and visitors. We like everyone else in the world hate that we can’t go out in public to help others or hug a neighbor or a friend. But there are so many wonderful organizations, restaurants, people, companies, vendors, real estate agents, and individuals who have all pitched in to help the town. There are virtual concerts raising money, and everyday people who cook food for hundreds and deliver to those in need. We wave now as we pass the fishermen in the truck, as we take our dog to walk, we wave at the guy who patrols the beach. Everyone is friendlier even though you can’t see the smiles behind the mask we know they’re smiling. The saying used to be, a smile goes a long way, now with masks we think a wave goes a long way.
We are hoping as you read this that miraculously, the borders are open and maybe you can enter with a test or a temperature check. We are hopeful that the beaches will be open again using social distancing and maybe walking in pairs. Our perspective, hope is so much better than fear, seeing the beautiful sea is an awesome boost to the spirit. Even if you come down, rent a condo, and experience it from our quarantine perspective, take joy watching the waves, spend time with your family in a new location, and order from all the delicious restaurants that have food available for pickup or delivery or social distance measures at an outdoor cafe.
Puerto Peñasco is opening up the city in PHASES, check here (https://www.facebook.com/gobiernoptopco) to see what phase we are in and follow Rocky Point Times Facebook page.
Perspective, if we all do our absolute best to be safe, follow the guidelines, care about each other, we will have our beach life back again and it will be better than ever.
If you crave beach and sea pics follow @rockypointlocal or Facebook.com/rockypointlocal.