Just got back from a trip to Miami, Florida. The whole week I listened to news stories about the swine flu.
I also listened to the reactions of some of my relatives. "*derisive snort* This is so overblown." "If we worry so much now, what will happen when there is a real outbreak."
I kind of agree with the cry-wolf problem but we will see what happens. Like the 1918 (or was it 1908?) pandemic, it started small in the Spring and then hit hard in the Fall.
What really troubles me is how this flu virus spread despite so much media attention. When I left Seattle last week there were no cases in the Pacific Northwest or in Miami. As we returned this week, there were confirmed cases in Washington, Oregon and Florida.
Thankfully this outbreak does not appear to be deadly but it sure did spread around the globe like the 12-Monkeys version. People going along with their daily lives willfully ignoring the risks added to fast, long-distance travel and there is no way to stop the spread of a contagious disease.
As I was relaxing on vacation, the flu reactions make me think about how we have lost touch with natural rhythms.
So what if school is closed for a week or you have to stay home and not go to work? When it was hot hot hot in the summer or cold cold cold in the winter, we used to slow down and stay home. These days, our linear, hard charging lifestyle makes any interruption seem like the end of the world.
We are silly. Frankly, I miss seasons. I miss fruit once a year when they are in season and not every morning because it is flown in from god knows where. Life has changed.
