January 27, 2021: Bright Spots

I just watched the first briefing from the new COVID-response team: Zients, Fauci, Walensky, Slavitt, and Nunez-Smith. If you watched, or even if you didn’t, you may know that there were a bunch of technical glitches with the sound and sometimes with the video. But despite that, the whole event was wonderful – serious, knowledgeable, competent, caring people doing their best to explain our situation and to answer questions honestly. The feeling - growing every day over this past week - that the grownups are back was heart-expanding. (I’m not giving a link, and I don’t actually recommend you watch today’s briefing, unless you are very good at tuning out bad audio, echo, reverb, etc. But you might want to watch one in the future, if this is your cup of tea.)

I’m also buoyed every time I hear of another friend, relative, or acquaintance getting vaccinated. It occurred to me today that in my mind’s eye, I apparently have a map, something like those beautiful images of the nation at night. And if I hear that someone in Atlanta got a shot, there’s a pinprick of light on that part of the map. Oh, look! Los Angeles, San Diego, Cleveland, Yakima, Flemington, Poughkeepsie! Seattle, home of my youth, and of many medical pals, is all lit up. 

The country is beginning to glow! IN A GOOD WAY! We've been staring at maps all year, but this one isn't showing wildfires or hospitalizations. This one is showing better times to come.