Editorial: Having a true appreciation of life as we deal with the Coronavirus

I’m hoping this will be the last editorial I write about COVID-19. But my focus isn’t on the pandemic itself. It’s on the reflection and appreciation of being around others.

When we do go back to a “new” normal way of life, we will be living with the virus. It will never be totally eradicated. It will never truly disappear from this earth. We will adopt to the results of the disease and hope for the best.

Schools and businesses will open slowly, but affiliation will keep us distant. Stepping outside the house will be somewhat of a new experience. When a person coughs or sneeze, we already turn our heads and hope we do not catch the disease. But these are everyday bodily functions that we cannot control.

But we can control our judgement over others during this pandemic. Remember when the HIV virus and AIDS first became a worldwide thing? Misinformation led to a scared society. People were afraid to talk with each other, let alone interact with each other. We were quick to judge others on something we did not know everything about. Similarly, we do not know everything about COVID-19, and I doubt we will in the near future. But I do know we can know about each other.

I hope everybody is getting a greater appreciation of human interaction as we remain under the stay-at-home order. I know I do personally. I miss talking with my fellow coaches. I miss hugging my student-athletes and seeing their smiles or the way they pick on me. Even when I go out to get essentials, I see some of them working and miss them to pieces. I miss visiting my relatives and telling them how much I love them. I miss going to a lot of the meetings I cover in-person as a precaution (even though I have a right to be there).

The past two months have been a good lesson on life that we should appreciate things even though they may not seem to be at face value. For example, have you ever thought about how much you miss waiting 45 minutes just to eat at a restaurant? Or what about reading the menu at the table at the restaurant? Or even a waiter greeting you and taking your order? Or even having your plates removed after you’re done with a meal? Or even leaving a tip because of the service you received.

That is just one scenario. There are several hundreds more that we can talk about. Community events, fundraisers, weddings, date nights, and the list goes on and on. The face-to-face interaction makes us who we are. People need that, but we also need to make sure that life is cherished.

Unfortunately, some people won’t get to experience those things anymore due to the pandemic. As I have told some of my student-athletes through text messages, appreciate the opportunities you have to do things at a young age because you never know when it will go away. That lesson now applies to all and I hope we can all learn that our lives are blessings and we are to make the most out of it.

Love each other and support each other. Encouragement is the key to growth and rehabilitating our society and economy. Remember that each day brings a new challenge and being able to open your eyes and say “thank you” is the first blessing you have each time you wake up.