Is being forced to change a good thing?
They say that change brings opportunity and can open new doors. In what is probably the biggest understatement of my 10 plus years of writing this column, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced all of us to adopt new ways of doing things, letting go of traditions and adapting to new methods and habits. Ordering groceries online and picking them up is just one of many.
Wear a mask? Yep. You should. Of course, there is debate on even this and when our very own Governor tests positive and then negative, it just puts more of a spotlight on the process of testing and false negatives, etc. But, if you know someone who has had the virus, or sadly, has passed away due to the virus, then you know that it is real. It is also highly contagious and is a dangerous and unseen foe that must be taken seriously if we want to return to some semblance of normalcy in our daily lives.
The recently held River View Park Social is just one example of how our lives and traditions here in Coshocton County are being held hostage by the pandemic. The Balloon Festival, now the Apple Butter Stirrin’, gosh forbid, even our very own and loved Coshocton County Fair will look different. There are so many others – school athletics, music and band performances – high school graduations, weddings, funerals, the list goes on and on. When you think about it, it is almost exhausting. Maybe it is exhausting.
I think about all of the people that are caught up in their plans changing, the decisions they have to make on a daily basis to ensure the safety of employees, teachers, coaches, players, families, relatives and more, is it any wonder that we all seem tired? Oh, you don’t? That’s good. I am, and frankly, what I do is easy compared to a school administrator, health worker, first responder and all those that are caring for our elderly in assisted living and nursing homes. Have we said “Thank You” enough? Probably not. Thank You for what you are doing. We appreciate you.
Next up on the community list is the annual G.A.R. Bean Dinner in Newcastle. Mark your calendar for Sunday, Aug. 16 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for a drive-thru meal. Trust me on this one, unlike the River View Park Social, where I was about five vehicles and five minutes too late for that yummy chicken and noodles – yep, only five, I will be first in line! Well, maybe not first. But as close as I can get.
And for those of us that are OSU football fans, the season has taken a decidedly evil twist – at least I think so. The tradition of TTUN being the final game of the regular season is upended with that game scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 24. I am presuming that this is due to the fact that the kids get out of school prior to the Thanksgiving holiday this year. But who knows?
The Indians are doing okay, just a couple games behind the Twins. The Reds and Pirates are bringing up the rear in the NL Central. For those that are tracking, the Cubs are kicking butt.
Category: Mark's Musings, Opinion
