Friday, May 1, 2020

Brain Dump

I've seen this floating around social media for a while and every time I see it, it irritates me more:

"Borrowed" this from a friend...Love looking at the positive side of life....
No school shootings,
TRAFFIC is gone,
GAS is affordable,
BILLS extended.
KIDS are at home with their FAMILIES.
PARENTS are home taking care of their CHILDREN.
FAST FOOD replaced by HOME COOKED MEALS.
Hectic SCHEDULES replaced by NAPS, REST, and RELAXATION.
The AIR seems CLEANER.
The WORLD quieter.
PEOPLE are conscious about HYGIENE and HEALTH.
MONEY doesn't seem to make the WORLD GO ROUND anymore.
DOCTORS AND NURSES are being praised and recognized instead of athletes and celebrities
And WE now have TIME, finally,
to STOP and SMELL the ROSES.
..The positive side above all!!
PS I'm pretty sure this was God's way of telling us to slow down and focus on what is important!!

Let's break this down, shall we?

No school shootings: Violent crimes have skyrocketed.
Traffic is gone: 30 million people JOBLESS and increasing
Gas is affordable: What difference, at this point, does it make? You can't go anywhere. Let's cheer the loss of millions of jobs in the oil industry. You don't need plastic; throw away your phone, computer, washer, dryer, dishwasher, heater, air conditioner, car, packaging for food, bubble wrap, medical tubing, syringes... Just drop back into the Dark Ages. Don't forget the cancelled vacations, weddings, hopes for new opportunities... 
Bills extended: But still due, only now 30 million people don't have jobs.
Kids are at home with their families: The abusers now have 24/7 access to their victims.
Parents are home taking care of their children: Domestic violence and child abuse have skyrocketed.
Fast food replaced by home cooked meals: Really? Have you seen the lines at the fast food places? What about the cleared grocery shelves? What about those who have special diets? Yes, I had trouble finding some of the specialty foods I use to manage my health issues. Have you seen how many people are in line at food banks? One of the biggest job losses is in the restaurant industry and the farmers who supplied those restaurants. Crops are rotting in the field, and animals are being slaughtered and not going to processing plants.
Hectic schedules replaced by naps, rest, and relaxation: Suicide rates have skyrocketed.
The air seems cleaner: Outside where many states have forbidden people to be. Lucky you if you're not in one of those states. At the cost of 30 million jobs. 
The world is quieter: What does that even mean? Did you miss the earthquakes and tornadoes killing people and no one went to help because everyone is quarantined? People all over the world are starving to death because of the quarantines.
People are conscious about hygiene and health: Some of us were before, and the ones that weren't before still aren't. Or are you closing your eyes to shortages and packed stores?
Money doesn't seem to make the world go around anymore: That's rich! As people lose their businesses and people scream for bailouts from their fellow taxpayers, who aren't working either.
Doctors and nurses are being praised and recognized instead of athletes and celebrities: Have you gone to help them? Oh, wait, you can't go anywhere. How many free concerts have you watched at home? Where is your money going? To fund doctors and nurses and hospitals? Or Netflix and online shows? Doctors and nurses are being furloughed and fired because they aren't "essential." Nice show of gratitude. 
And we now have time, finally, to stop and smell the roses: I learned long ago to stop and smell the roses. Your choice to not stop and smell the roses is your responsibility, not mine. Why are you punishing millions of people because you refused to choose to stop and smell the roses sooner?
I don't mind the positive side; I'm an optimist myself, but I will not close my eyes to what is being sacrificed for the "positive side." True silver linings don't destroy the lives of millions of people. 
God did not shut everything down: Men did. Men screaming be afraid! You'll die if you don't! Those you love will die if you don't! People will die if you don't do exactly as we say.

God says, "Fear not." It's like no one believes God.

What have I gained? My silver lining? I've come to acknowledge just how useless my anxiety is. I've wasted far too much time wallowing in anxiety and fear.

"To be or not to be..." afraid. "That is the question." How will you answer?

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