Life's Ups and Downs

I'm having trouble wrapping my brain around the current level of hysteria regarding the Corona virus outbreak, in light of the fact that people every year (every day!) die from complications from influenza¹. And not just that, even more people die every day from malaria, but no one is running around like a chicken with their head cut off buying toilet paper and hand sanitizer (as if those things could stem the tide of anything.)

I don't mean to sound callous or hard-hearted about those unfortunate people who find themselves in quarantine on ships or air force bases, or worse, in ICU in critical condition because they have contracted this virus. I am not insensitive and know enough people personally who are going through that right now, as a matter of fact.

It just seems that people have blown things totally out of perspective when it comes to a virus outbreak. Seriously? We have to wait until the media whips everyone into a frenzy before we get religious about washing our hands, for heaven's sake?

So, in the interest of gaining some of that aforementioned perspective, let's just spell out the facts:
As of today in just the U.S.:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-in-us.html

That's right, 29 deaths in the US, a little over 4,000 worldwide.

https://heavy.com/news/2020/02/coronavirus-covid-19-cases-deaths-updates/

Now let's look at what is really killing people:

New York, 25 April 2018 – Every two minutes, a child dies of malaria. Malaria is a preventable and treatable disease that remains, in many regions of the world, a major public health problem. Ninety-one countries currently experience ongoing malaria transmission. Almost half the world’s population – about 3.2 billion people – are at risk of malaria. In 2016 alone, 216 million new cases of malaria were reported, and approximately 445,000 people died of the disease – most of them children.²

Elsewhere in the U.S. (10 leading causes of death in 2017-2018, from CDC website - bear in mind, these numbers are multiplied by 100,000):

(Don't even get me started that the number of babies killed in the name of "choice" top, yet don't make, the list.)

Do I think people need to be proactive and wash their hands? Yes.
Am I going to be booking a cruise ship to Wuhan anytime soon? No.
If you are or have someone who has special needs or a compromised immune system, you are hopefully already being circumspect about exposing yourself to environments or situations without some kind of precaution. That is just common sense.

I do not normally subscribe to conspiracy theories, and it's certainly not for want of hearing about them at every turn, but one does have to wonder why such a big-fat-hairy deal is being made of this in an election year? Oh wait... didn't the same thing happen in 2016 with the Zika virus?

I'll just close with this thought: WASH YOUR HANDS and STOP LIVING IN FEAR!

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.”

Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler And from the perilous pestilence. He shall cover you with His feathers, And under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler.

You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, Nor of the arrow that flies by day, Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday. - Psalm 91:1-6

¹ CDC estimates that influenza has resulted in between 9 million – 45 million illnesses, between 140,000 – 810,000 hospitalizations and between 12,000 – 61,000 deaths annually since 2010.

² https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/ten-things-you-didnt-know-about-malaria

Ironic, Isn't It?

As we settle in to life at the river, reining in our personal space a bit, as it were, it occurs to me that there is an irony to life. (More than just one, I'm sure!)

As I reflect back over the past 48 years I've spent adulting, I am struck by the fact that I have spent most of those years on a quest to accumulate things. Granted, most of I what I have been chasing after have been useful things, but things nonetheless.

In my quest for efficiency in the kitchen, there have been a multitude of gadgets: food processor, VitaMix blender, KitchenAid mixer, grain grinder, centrifugal juicer, citrus juicer, coffee grinder, food dehydrator, crockpots and pressure cookers, turkey roaster, pressure canner, not to mention the accompanying canning jars and assorted paraphernalia.

In my defense, I actually did use all of these things. And, if I had room to do so, I would probably continue on that path. But the reality is, I do not.

And, it seems somewhat counter productive to be spending money to rent not just one, but two storage units (filled to capacity) to save all of these things on the off-chance I may be Miss Suzy Pioneer Homemaker again some day. Let's face it, I am closer to 70 than I was 5 minutes ago, and the two of us can't possibly eat that amount of food I could possibly can.

So, the next year or two is going to be spent on a quest to get rid of much of what I just spent years and many thousands of dollars accumulating. (Yes, I have heard of Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace... )

Could there have been a better answer?