We Need To Remember What We've Forgotten When This Is Over

COVID-19 has taken over the world at such an astronomical rate, negatively altering lives across the world and rightly earning the term pandemic. As of March 28th, 2020 at 10:53 AM EST (according to Google), the current worldwide total of confirmed cases sits at 614,136 with a death toll of 28,251 and cured cases at 133,624.

With New York, California, Ohio and, most recently, North Carolina issuing a Stay-at-Home order (or Shelter-in-Place) it's becoming more and more evident that the entire country may not be too far away from a nationwide quarantine. However, with governors being forced to beg for supplies they desperately need and President Trump continuing to ignorantly make light of the situation with an inaccurate sense of optimmism, it feels like all hope is diminishing.

While this seems like yet another article trying to make sense of everything, it is quite the opposite. This is a plea. To the world and, as a resident of North Carolina, to America. Please take this time seriously. Please meet the requirements. In the iconic words of Doctor Strange: "We're in the endgame now." We should have taken this seriously from the beginning. We all should have. Everything we do from this moment forward will affect how quickly this ends. So I urge you once again to do your part to save lives.

I don't mean to hop on my soapbox, but when this is all over and we make it through this, which we will, there are a few things we need to remember. Our time and our lives on this planet are severely limited. I've seen this virus bring people together in ways I've never seen before, but it's also sewn discourse throughout. So many false narratives and ridiculous notions have floated around the internet lately (some coming from the mouths of political officials themselves) that it makes it hard to find the truth. We need to use this time to come together in love and understanding and put our differences aside in order to focus on the things that are destroying this country and destroying our planet. Political discourse, blatant lies and abuse of power to name a few. This virus has spread quickly and has taken countless precious lives. But none of it has to be in vain. I assure you I did not write this with a specific political agenda. I write this to beg you, on hands and knees, to open your eyes. We can change the outcome. We can make a difference. I wouldn't feel the need to say any of this is if I didn't see with my own eyes the pure disregard for other human lives.

Finally, if you take nothing else away from this take this: never take the moments you have left for granted. Being isolated has taught us all truly how special our time with other people is. When this is all said and done, be with friends. Be with family. Just be present. Time is precious, so never waste another second.