Adjusting To Good News
About three years ago I developed stomach problems which were first misdiagnosed and then not solved. Last June, I had major surgery. Then last fall, one of the health care aides whom I needed for a few months, brought in bed bugs. It was a chore to get rid of them. When that was over, a pipe in my bedroom ceiling began to leak. I had to have workers remove it and replace it. Then came January 6. To most of us, that insurrection in the capitol was bad, but to a historian, who had to go back to the War of 1812 to find a comparable event, it was worse.
Like many others, I coped with 2020 by keeping track of difficulties, measuring them, and feeling good that I had managed to deal with them. But those times are over. Conditions got better with Biden’s election, which was celebrated here in Park Slope with cheers and jubilation. Even the buses and cars honked in celebration. I loved his inauguration. Harris’s statement, “I may be the first, but I won’t be the last,” brought tears to my eyes. Since then, I think they’ve both done a great job. Biden used to be known for putting his foot in his mouth, but he hasn’t done that now. Just not having “the former guy” as president has made a tremendous difference – not having his presence weigh on one’s life.
In addition, Biden, unlike Trump, has done a wonderful job with Covid 19. Instead of fake remedies and down-playing solutions, he’s enabled 2,000,000 people to be vaccinated, double the number he originally promised. Although it is extremely troubling to have Trump supporters ignore common sense remedies, hopefully their numbers will continue to decline. Basing your life on unreality is not a winning strategy. And as of now, not only is his base declining, a group of eminent Republicans is discussing leaving the party. Discouraging the vote is also a losing strategy – look at all the Black people who have voted under even more arduous conditions through the years.
Life is beginning to become more normal. After I had my second vaccination, I counted the days until it kicked in. I was having dinner party fantasies and the day after I became immune, I had six vaccinated friends over for dinner. We all enjoyed it. I’m seeing friends at restaurants, walking more, going to different venues. Last week I saw the marvelous Alice Neel show at the Metropolitan Museum. Instead of clenching on to bad news, I am trying to celebrate good news. It takes an adjustment, but it’s totally worth the effort. All of us need to try it now!