“Hope deferred makes the heart sick…” Proverbs 13:12
We don’t like to wait. This inclination toward impatience
and aversion toward delayed gratification is evident all
around us. We see it in the grocery store when people
maneuver their way up to the 15 items or less
check-out counter, despite the fact that their cart is
filled beyond the limit. We are reminded , every time
someone runs through a red light that -our toleration for
the tortuous two minute interval before it changes , is too
much for us to bear. We are adverse to waiting for very long. Our world,
especially the American part of it, is conditioned to lose
patience with any delay or postponement of our wants.
Our quick and easy access to stuff by simply clicking,
swiping, texting, and tapping… doesn’t help in developing much patience.
This is one the most aggravating aspects
of this Covid 19 pandemic reality. We are on lockdown, our sense of normalcy has been upended, a vaccine is months, maybe years away, and we are left to wait and hope for a better day.
The longer this wait continues, the more intractable
the economic and emotional fallout becomes. The rise
in suicides, drug abuse , and domestic violence is an
emerging consequence. While some are seizing the
opportunity to do good things by offering help and
support, the prolonged lack of a resolution may test the
durability of this goodwill. Quarantine fatigue is setting
in. People are compelled to “break out” in defiance of all
reasonable and medically advised restrictions. When this
happens…things will surely get worse before they get
better.Let us all hope and pray that a treatment and
vaccine will come soon.
E.Trice
