We’re all dealing with the pressure and anxiety in our own ways right now. For example, my wife Karen is a do something person, and she’s been channelling her feelings into some cool home craft projects. She cut up some Nova Scotia tartan ribbon and made some really nice tartan hearts to wear on our jackets to show that as Nova Scotians we are strong together. It works for her, and I think the hearts look really good.
Me? I tend to be one of those people who avoid all the chatter – I turn off the news channels, and escape into a good book or film. When I’m ready to deal with things I will, but in my own good time. But I think this time is different. I need to be proactive and take some steps.
Otherwise my cynicism is going to get me in trouble. I see the internet in Nova Scotia is now divided into two camps. Those who want answers about last weekend’s tragedy and those who are calling for kindness and for the news media not to ask troubling questions (because censorship of news always works out well for society, right?) I don’t know about you, but I think asking difficult questions doesn’t make the person unkind. But I do have the patience to wait for all the details to come out.
Then there are the folks who take in way too much Fox news. One of them sent me an email asking how many people had died of coronavirus versus how many died from regular flu. I took some time to search the internet for a graph that showed the carnage caused by the coronavirus in just a few short weeks in North America versus the small amount of people who died from regular flu.
I got no reply. Then saw him post a pile of misinformation on social media. Obviously his mind was made up and he didn’t care for the graph or facts that I sent him. Time wasted, for sure.
So I’m going to do something this weekend that I normally would never do. I’m heading home today , going to wear red and observe a moment of silence at 2 this afternoon (Friday)
I’m going to listen tonight at 7pm for the Loving Tribute virtual vigil on CKBW, and on Sunday evening I’ll listen to the Stronger Together concert on CKBW.
Hey, it may not help, but it can’t hurt.
