And still we fight.

 We received news today the October Jazz Fest (canceled in 2020, postponed in spring 2021 and pushed to fall 2021) has been canceled. I fear it's the beginning domino in a series of fall festival cancellations, once a glimmer of hope that by fall, we'd have conquered covid. Sure, I'm not naive, and I knew there would be life pre-Covid and life forever with Covid, though I guess I had hoped it would maybe fade away and be this disease kids one day heard about (hello, polio) or knew was a clear and present danger (hello, chicken pox) but with everyone vaccinated, we wouldn't be sweating it.

Problem is, we are sweating it. The delta variant is wreaking havoc on our city and state, one of the lowest vaccination rates in the nation, and one of (if not?) the highest infection rate presently. Though I had briefly put away my masks after a family vacation to North Carolina in June and enjoyed a vaccinated, mask-free life for a few weeks (life almost feeling a bit like "normal"), I quickly pulled the masks back out almost as quickly as I put them away. Religiously wearing them. 

I'm so frustrated. I'm angry. My compassion is waning, and my care for my fellow person is running on fumes. I fear more than anything that one of my loved ones will have a medical emergency and need a hospital and be turned away from the overcrowded hospitals with C-19 patients. 90% of them unvaccinated. By choice. Because of politics, because of misinformation, because of some bullshit medical freedom flag people are flying and screaming about (sans mask, OF COURSE). Can't tell me what to do! I will defy you! The virus isn't real! It's a scheme to control us! Educated, competent individuals actually believe this. I'm baffled. I'm heartbroken. I'm burned out. I am running out of cares to give. 

It's my mom's 70th birthday today. We had a small celebration at the house last night, that I almost missed entirely for fear of having Covid and not wanting to pass it on to my unvaccinated niece and nephew. I was lucky enough to call in a favor at work and quickly get a test, negative results, and able to join my family for dessert and celebration. I'm so lucky and blessed I haven't lost any friends or family to this disease. I'm careful. I've shrunk my circle and footprint since the virus outbreak 17 months ago and couldn't be more grateful for my inner circle. But I know we're all tired. Tired of the fight. 

We're fighting for health. We're fighting for those who won't willingly assist us in this war. We stay the course. We press on. And we continue to hope and pray that we will conquer this disease. 

Stay well.