How do you stay healthy in normal times? It’s different for everybody. For me, good relationships, nature, a clean diet, fun, exercise for body and brain, swimming, creative endeavors and dark chocolate do the trick. Now that we are deep in the twilight zone, it is more important than ever to stay healthy and keep our immune system humming along. How? I reckon we maintain whatever our normal is to the greatest degree possible. Immunity is complex but balance and happiness certainly play a role.
How do we maintain normal now? It’s difficult. And in our town it was made especially difficult when the public spaces were closed, everything but the dog park that is. Access to sand, water and parks are why we are here. It’s our normal. Jumping in the ocean makes it a good day. And good days are integral to balance, happiness and immunity.
The town is empty, tourists are gone and road blocks are up. Why are the public spaces still closed? Social distancing is a non-issue so spare me the rote answer that it’s for our safety. Why does the City place a higher priority on the poop and play habits of dogs over the wellbeing of the citizens? As I photographed the police protecting the beach from people like me, I pondered these questions. Very puzzling. Then I was struck by an uncomfortable thought. Closing the public spaces drags people way out of normal, upping the fear factor and potentially destabilizing folks. Does that make them easier to control and manipulate? Me thinks it does. Then the follow up question arrived. Are the officious among us smart enough to realize their actions result in more pliable citizens? Hmmm. Some are. How much do you want to bet there is a memo circulating?
The motivation to keep everything closed could be far simpler. They are overwhelmed, worried about liability or just plain lazy. It is a question of priorities. Priority one is the health and wellbeing of the citizens. Priority two is reduce the spread of the virus. If the powers that be placed equal weight on these priorities, the public spaces would be reopened. To be extra safe, people could wear masks. If the City worries that social distance criminals will emerge, have the police shift their duties to protecting us rather than the beach. And news flash, the images of NYC opened everyone’s eyes to the danger, not you. We all get it and are quite capable of personal responsibility.
Corona will result in many changes in our society. One is the selection of leaders who understand that their top priority is the wellbeing of the citizens and, equally important, leaders who understand what constitutes wellbeing…
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- It appears one pier was opened for swimming. If that can be done, the rest can be done too.
- I sent two letters to our Mayor on this subject. The second remains unanswered.
- More dark chocolate is allowed now.