I had Breakfast at Epiphany's (of sorts) Sunday afternoon while out walking. I haven't visited the Uncas Leap Heritage Area in a couple of weeks and decided to grab some happy snaps of Lower Falls with my cell phone, hoping the shortfall in rainfall might allow any falls at all.
I headed down Sachem Street, took the left onto Yantic heading downhill, and made a beeline for my favorite photo perch, past the iron rail fence alongside the sidewalk with a quick right into and through the parking lot created after Public Works took down that eyesore abandoned building (just before you get to the Falls Mill Condominiums) where you can then walk out on the remnants of the rock wall and, when there's water flowing, you can actually feel the spray from the falls just feet away.
But I was halted in my tracks by the temporary fencing across the parking lot entrance. It was then I had my first Eureka moment. Out of an abundance of caution (there's a lot of that going around right now though probably not nearly enough at least in our nation's capital), the area which is a very popular spot for visitors was closed to help mitigate the possible spread of COVID-19, whose resurgence in our state over the last five days or so has been spearheaded by the uptick of reported cases right here in Norwich.
I am chagrined to report my first reaction to the barriers was one of annoyance. I wasn't going to be able to take the pictures I wanted to take and ...then I had my second Eureka moment. It was precisely that mentality, that whole 'it's all about me and what I want to do and nobody can tell me otherwise' frame of mind that is behind so much of our ongoing struggle and failure to control and contain a contagion that has killed (as of Sunday) very nearly 215,000 of us.
You and I might see that death toll as a tragedy but someone else apparently sees it as a 'good job' and in answer to that old question about 'what do you want, a medal?' seemingly the answer is more of a commemorative coin to celebrate the triumph. (I'd love to have Pantload45's nerve in my tooth; every root canal would be like a spa day.)
Talk about sheepish! I watched the press conference live (on the city's Facebook page) Thursday afternoon and listened carefully to all those who spoke and still, on Sunday, was annoyed that I wasn't able to do what I wanted to do when I wanted to do it (and I've seen this online and elsewhere) because of the 'Nanny State.'
When I started out for Uncas Leap, I walked past election season lawn signs of well-intentioned (I'm assuming) folks seeking office so we can 'Open Up Connecticut' and 'Get Back to Work!' (I'll confess to thinking less kindly of those same office seekers when they blow up my cellphone with messages on the same topics) and while I realize the 'let's hurry up and get normal as quickly as we can' feels like a typical response, in this atypical time, it's selfish, self-centered, and ultimately, self-defeating.
Remember as kids when Mom would say, 'at least we have our health,' (well, mine did anyway and she said it a lot)? That's because health has to be Priority One, and Two and, if necessary Three (or until we run out of numbers) for ALL of us, not just some, and it's got NOTHING to do with politics.
Frustrated photo buffs who can't take a picture, pro football fans saddened their team won't play this week, and shoppers annoyed or even angry they have to wear facemasks while in the grocery, we need to all take a breath and a minute to get over ourselves and then try again to be the caring and considerate people we tell ourselves we are. Because we're still not besting this pandemic and we've only ourselves to blame.
-bill kenny
No comments:
Post a Comment