My heart goes out to those who have lost loved ones due to this damn Corona Virus. I can’t even imagine the despair and suffering the victims and their families have had to endure.

What about our healthcare workers?  Those individuals who have been on the front line, literally risking their lives, to take care of patients fighting for theirs.  As if their jobs weren’t challenging enough before Covid-19.  Since March, I would imagine their level of stress has doubled or even tripled.  At times, I’m sure it has been unbearable.  These heroes should NEVER be taken for granted.  They cannot be thanked enough.

Then there’s the rest of us.  Life hasn’t exactly been a “bowl of cherries” but we haven’t been punched in the face by the virus.  Our loved ones are healthy (so far) and we haven’t gotten sick.  We’ve struggled to get our favorite brands at the grocery stores, we’ve been required to shelter-in-place, our kids have had to attend school virtually and we desperately miss watching our favorite sports in person and on TV.  Probably what’s been most difficult for the “lucky ones” is our inability to travel and feel safe and the postponement of special events like weddings, graduations, vacations, etc.  Don’t get me wrong this pandemic has been a gross inconvenience for everyone.  Even though we haven’t been impacted directly, it sucks, no matter how you slice it.

It’s been 17 weeks since the World Health Organization made the assessment that     Covid -19 could be characterized as a “Global Pandemic”.  As we sit here today, it has caused over 500,000 deaths worldwide and over 130,000 deaths in the US.  Last I checked, 32 states have experienced significant increases in the number of cases over the past several weeks. Many experts are warning us about a second wave in the fall that could be even more catastrophic.

Everybody has an opinion or a theory about how we got here.  The left blames the right, the right blames the left. The media makes it worse by spinning their stories to achieve an outcome favoring their network’s bias.  I refuse to go any deeper because my intent is not to stir things up.  My purpose is to share my opinion on what needs to be done to get us out of this mess. If you are looking for something revolutionary, you’ve come to the wrong place.

Here’s my advice:

• Turn off the TV (at least the news)
• Stop debating, arguing, theorizing, discussing how we got here and who’s to blame
•  Keep in mind… This is not about politics.  It’s about saving lives and restoring the American way of life.
• Support the healthcare workers.  Help families who have lost a loved one.
• Whatever you do, follow the rules.  You know the ones that have been pounded into our heads time and time again over the last 17 weeks?

I can understand forgetting from time-to-time but I can’t understand refusing to comply.

As elementary as it seems, I’d be remiss if I didn’t include another reminder:

Keep your distance – Stay 6 feet apart

Wear a mask in public

Wash your hands often

Don’t touch your face

If you didn’t believe it before, we have to believe it now – This virus isn’t going away quietly.  We can’t do anything to prevent what has already happened and it doesn’t matter who is to blame.  We need every single American, on every single day to abide by these 4 simple rules as if their life depended on it; because it does.  Stay positive and encourage others.  We are all in this together.