Oh, My Corona

magnolia in bloom

Coronavirus. Are we still talking about this? Why yes, yes we are. Ugh! We have some travel plans coming up, and we are locking ourselves down even more than usual to hopefully avoid getting sick. Jim and I have not had the virus yet, which is kind of a mixed blessing I suppose. We have had all the shots, including the boosters, so I'm sure that has helped. But in some ways it feels like we are waiting for the other shoe to drop. 

World-wide, this virus shows no signs of abating. The latest statistics are: North Carolina has had 3.44 million cases and 29,279 deaths. In the United States there have been 102 million cases and 1.1 million deaths. (That statistic is down from the 1.5 million I last reported, though I use the same website for the statistics each time. Makes me wonder what someone is doing with the stats.) Worldwide there have been over 672 million cases and 6.85 million deaths. The number of cases is no doubt vastly underreported since so many people are taking home tests and those results do not need to be reported. I also think that the health care systems have changed their reporting habits regarding Covid as well, due to a lessoning of federal reporting guidelines. Regardless, the numbers remain staggering.

Spring is around the corner, and we saw magnolias and daffodils in bloom on our bike ride today. Perhaps once people spend more time outdoors, the virus numbers will once again be on the decline. We will have to wait and see. In the meantime, I am always so grateful for where we live and the beauty that surrounds us as we navigate these challenging times.

this morning's sunrise

Endings and Beginnings

The year 2022 will end in just a few hours. It's always a time of reflection - what was good and what was bad about the year. I guess the bad is that we are still talking about Covid, vaccinations, and the wearing of masks - or not. It's hard to imagine that this virus is still such a hug part of our lives after three years. The United States is still averaging 300 deaths per day, and we have lost 1.1 million people since they first started keeping statistics on the coronavirus.

While many people have resumed their lives as if the virus is a thing of the past, we have remained fairly vigilant in our effort to try to avoid coming down with Covid. There are many gatherings and events that we have stayed away from again this year, including any travel outside the U.S. In fact, we have done limited travel even within our country.

A big motivator for us in recent months was the birth of our first grandchild. It was imperative that we remain healthy so that we could visit her and her parents. It paid off as we were all healthy enough to enjoy her first Christmas with them. This baby girl was definitely the best part of 2022. Everyone told us that becoming a grandparent was even better than the expectations that have been extolled about it. That was no lie. To hold this little piece of your child - a little piece of yourself as well - defies description. We are eager to watch this little gal grow into her own person.

Looking forward to 2023, we have several trips planned with friends and family. We certainly hope that our health and Covid allow those excursions to take place. Our lives have been in a sort of holding pattern for a few years now, and we are ready to enjoy our retirement. Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

Stormy Weather

the calm before Hurricane Ian arrived

Hurricane Ian made its way to the Charlotte area on Friday. We ended up with nearly 4 inches of rain and high winds for a couple of days. There was only tree debris to pick up at our house, though the neighbors three doors down had a tree shear off and hit the back of their house. It did some roof and eave damage, and broke the kitchen windows. That was scary for them, but oddly enough their home in Fort Meyers had minimal damage. We certainly can't complain in light of what many families in Florida endured.

Before the storm really got going on Friday we went to Walgreens for the latest Covid shot - the bivalent booster, which is said to help protect against the BA.4 and BA.5 variants. We both ended up with sore arms, and feeling achey and tired. That was gone by later on Saturday however.

While most people act as though the coronavirus is a thing of the past, experts are warning that cases will most likely pick up again as we go into the colder weather season. It's been awhile since I gave the updated statistics, so here they are:

North Carolina has had 3.18 million cases and 26,468 deaths. In the United States there have been 95.9 million cases and 1.53 million deaths. Worldwide there have been over 615 million cases and 6.5 million deaths. The number of cases is no doubt vastly underreported since so many people are taking home tests and those results do not need to be reported.

In speaking with the pharmacist who administered my shot, I have to agree that Covid is never going to totally go away, and that we will probably get an annual shot just like the flu. Honestly at this point only getting one Covid shot a year instead of one every few months sounds pretty good.

The United States of Mind

For 246 years our country has been observing its independence from Great Britain. July 4th is celebrated with parades, picnics and fireworks. This year was no exception, but the tone might have sounded a little different. The U.S., and indeed the world, is still reeling from the lingering effects of Covid. Just when it seemed we were recovering, the war on Ukraine began. Gas prices have soared, followed by drastic increases in food, airline tickets and interest rates. Continued mass shootings and the overturning of Roe v.  Wade have also contributed to a general feeling of anger and distrust in America.

All of these things have overshadowed the fact that the coronavirus is still a major problem in this country. People seem numb to the fact that we are losing 295 citizens each day to the virus. Most have adopted the attitude that it is no longer if they will get the virus, but when. As Covid continues to mutate, people who appeared to be immune from earlier variants are succumbing to the new strains. Only time will tell if the current shots and boosters will continue to protect us. Ive said this before, but I think the real story that will come out of this pandemic is a study regarding why certain people never got the virus.

Here are the latest Covid statistics: North Carolina has had 2.87 million cases and 25,219 deaths. In the United States there have been 87.7 million cases and 1.02 million deaths. Worldwide there have been over 550 million cases and 6.3 million deaths. The United States is at a 67.5% full vaccination rate. Worldwide that number is a discouraging 61.8%.

Tension, like the air here in North Carolina, is thick enough to cut with a knife.

Mountain Island Lake

One Million Dead, and Counting

The U.S. has now recorded over a million deaths due to Covid. Many experts feel that is an undercount due to lack of tests/testing and reporting. At the beginning of Covid the press speculated that perhaps 200,000 Americans would die from Covid. We were appalled, and thought that couldn't possibly happen. Yet now look at the number! And where is the outrage? Are we just so numb to the numbers due to the amount of time we have been battling this virus? While it may be true that Covid will never really go away, similar to the flu, I hope it can be controlled to the point that we aren't looking at this number of deaths in the future. Too many people have not lived to see another sunrise.

sunrise

Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign

sign at winery last week

It's been awhile since I have written a post exclusively about Covid-19. But nearly 1 million Americans have now died from Covid. A million!!! Never did anyone imagine that we would lose so many people in our country due to this virus. And we are far from being out of the woods.

Unfortunately, signs everywhere are pointing towards an uptick in Covid cases. This is predominantly due to the mutation of this virus. The current variant, Omicron (BA.1), now has a subvariant called BA.2. Each new variant seems to be more transmissible than the previous one. The good news is that the new one does not seem to cause more severe disease in patients than the previous one. However having vaccines and boosters does not seem to prevent one from getting Omicron, though symptoms, hospitalizations and deaths seem to be less in those who are vaccinated.

Current thinking by the experts is that the coronavirus will never go away. It will continue to mutate, and will be somewhat controlled by vaccinations. Most people have gone back to their pre-covid routines, filling stadiums, concert halls, churches, etc. It is rare to now see anyone with a mask on. Though we have had our vaccines and the two boosters, we still wear a mask in places we feel we are susceptible to exposure. We are not going to large venues, or traveling outside the country yet. It's not perfect, but we also need to live our lives as safely as we can.

Here is where things supposedly stand: North Carolina has had 2.69 million cases and 124,598 deaths. In the United States there have been 82.6 million cases and 999,000 deaths. Worldwide there have been over 522 million cases and 6.3 million deaths. I say "supposedly" because most people believe the numbers are under-reported. Many requirements for reporting have been dropped, and with the availability of home testing there is no way to know how many people have tested positive.

Will I still be writing about covid at the end of 2022? I would like to think that I won't, but we are a long way from this being over. The supply chain in our country is still a mess, businesses cannot find people who want to work, inflation, fuel prices and interest rates are up. The airlines are a mess with staffing shortages and higher fuel prices, so even country-wide travel may be off the table for us. At least those involving planes. We tried to book tickets to Denver from Charlotte for June, and the cost (even with flexible dates) was nearly $1,900 per round trip ticket! It's just crazy. Fortunately there is nowhere we have to be, so we will plan more regional trips where we can drive the new car. And staying here and enjoying Mother Nature is no hardship. Below was yesterday's sunrise. We are blessed beyond measure.

Good morning, sunshine

Two Years of Covid Fears

Two years ago yesterday the coronavirus was officially declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization. Covid has been a world-wide event that has caused pain, suffering, death - and at times panic - to millions of people. In the early days we had no idea how our lives would be impacted, and certainly never dreamed the effects would still be felt two years later.

Here are the latest Covid statistics: North Carolina has had 2.61 million cases and 22,932 deaths. In the United States there have been 79.4 million cases and 966,000 deaths. Worldwide there have been over 455 million cases and over 6 million deaths. The United States is at a 65.7% full vaccination rate. Worldwide that number is a discouraging 57.3%.

As health restrictions eased, many US citizens have gone back to resuming their lives as if the virus has been eradicated. While it is certainly true that the number of positive cases, hospitalizations, and deaths has been on the decline, there are over 42,000 people in the US testing positive on a daily basis. Though many mask mandates have been dropped, the US government has extended the one that applies to flights, buses, ferries and subways until at least April 18th. This is no doubt an attempt to try and limit exposures during the spring break season.

But just as people were beginning to think it would be safe to travel outside the country again, last month Vladimir Putin, President of Russia, ordered the largest full-scale invasion of a nation since WWII as he tries to regain control of Ukraine. Obviously a devastating turn of events for the citizens of Ukraine, the economic implications of this war will be felt globally.

It appears 2022 will be another year unlike any other. And there's nowhere to run.

safe statues

February - What's Not to Love?

It's the first of February, and we are at the threshold of going into the third year of Covid-19. The omicron variant has had at least two mutations of its own, and while they appear to be less deadly they are also seemingly easier to transmit. Hospitals are again near capacity, and the beds are filled with mostly unvaccinated people. The vaccines and boosters do not protect as well against the omicron variant, but vaccinated people are less likely to get as sick and/or hospitalized as unvaccinated people. There is a growing sense that we are all going to get covid at some point. When this pandemic is looked back on in the future, historians may well be examining who DIDN'T get covid - and why?

free Covid-19 test kits

The U.S. government is offering two covid test kits free of charge to each household. We ordered ours through the government-provided link, and they arrived in a couple of weeks via the postal service. I had previously ordered some from Amazon just to have on hand, so we are set with tests for the moment. Too bad I can't get reimbursed for those as they are costly at $19 per box.

Health experts are now saying that the medical paper masks that most people wear, as well as cloth masks, are not sufficient in protecting you against the spread of omicron. They recommend wearing an N95 mask (normally only used in hospital settings) instead. Those were in really short supply earlier in the pandemic, and we were all asked to save those for health care professionals. Somehow our government is now distributing 400 million N95 masks to citizens at no charge. Where did these come from? Who knows. It looks like you have to go to a pharmacy to get the masks, and each person can have three. 

I think it's important to note that these mask are not washable and aren't meant to be reusable, so I'm not sure how that's going to work. In the meantime, I'll keep wearing my washable cloth mask - the one I made with a pocket to insert a filter. It's fitted, has a nose piece, and gives me four layers of protection, so I think I'm good as long as I continue to socially distance and stay away from crowded venues.

layered face mask

What Will 2022 Bring?

We rang in 2022 with a drink in the back yard with five neighbors, followed by the three of us in our household working on a jigsaw puzzle. We haven't celebrated New Year's Eve in a big way since long before the pandemic arrived, but with Covid-19 our options were quite limited. We are choosing to try and remain safe from the virus.

Covid continues to be the story of the day. Omicron is now the most prevalent variant being seen among the new cases in the US. Omicron seems to be affecting the vaccinated as well as the unvaccinated, though vaccinated people tend to have milder symptoms and usually don't end up in the hospital unless they have underlying health conditions.

On December 31, 2021 North Carolina had its largest recording of new cases in one day reported - 19,174. It is difficult to find a place where you can get tested, and even harder to find the at-home tests that can be taken. Our state is not alone in seeing skyrocketing numbers. Here is where things stand: North Carolina has had 1.69 million cases and 19,436 deaths. In the United States there have been 54.9 million cases and 824,000 deaths. Worldwide there have been over 289 million cases and 5.4 million deaths. 

North Carolina has only achieved a 57% full vaccination rate, close to the the United States rate of 58.3%. Worldwide that number is only 48%. Despite the huge rise in cases, governments seem reluctant to reimpose restrictions to limit exposure, such as banning large events, limiting indoor numbers in restaurants and other public spaces, and reinstating mask mandates. 

Normally as we begin a new year we sit down and plan out what activities we want to do in the upcoming year. Covid has been around for over two years now, and there is no end in sight. We are not making plans, and instead are taking a wait and see attitude. It's a delicate balance in trying to live our lives while being safe and still having a life to live.

blue heron on Mountain Island Lake December 31, 2021

New Covid Variant

The world was still reeling from the rapidly-spreading Delta variant of Covid-19, which was first discovered in late 2020, when a new variant was detected in South Africa in early November. Named Omicron, the first United States case was found in San Fransisco on November 28th. To date, 19 states have reported at least one case of Omicron. It appears to be a fast-spreading variant, but there is not enough data to determine how deadly it will be. 

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is now recommending that all vaccinated adults "should" get a booster shot. Previously the statement was all vaccinated adults "may" get a booster shot. The World Health Organization is stating that the variant poses a "very high" global risk. 

As we head into Christmas and all the traveling and gathering that people will do, I suspect every state will have Omicron cases before the end of the year.

The sign of the times are still with us...ho, ho, ho.

sign of the times

Covember

sign at local Target store

It's been awhile since I did an update on what's going on with Covid-19. For 20 months we have been dealing with coronavirus, watching as it became a worldwide pandemic. While some of the statistics are encouraging, we are definitely not out of the woods yet.

Here's where things stand today: North Carolina has had 1.49 million cases and 18,264 deaths. In the United States there have been 46.4 million cases and 754,000 deaths. Worldwide there have been over 219 million cases and 5 million deaths. The United States is only at a 58.3% full vaccination rate. Worldwide that number is a discouraging 39.9%.

With such a low vaccination rate, you can't help but wonder if the virus will continue to mutate, such as it has done with the Delta variant. And if so, what does that mean to those who are fully vaccinated? Even though we have had the booster shot, will that protect us from the mutations? At the moment, there are no answers to these questions. We continue to mask up and socially distance while indoors. Hopefully that is enough.

Labor Coviday

This past weekend we celebrated Labor Day weekend in the United States. Typically marking the end of summer in the eyes of many people, the weekend is normally packed with activities. Due to Covid, those activities were outdoors again this year. 

The weekend was pretty full with pickleball Friday morning followed by a street fest in downtown Mount Holly, complete with a live band and food trucks. It was a beautiful evening to sit in our chairs on Main Street. Saturday morning Jim and I put our kayaks in on Mountain Island Lake at 7:00. We wanted to catch the sunrise as well as the steam rising up off the water. We captured both, and had the lake pretty much to ourselves at that hour. It was my first time kayaking since my shoulder surgery, and it went well.

sunrise on Mountain Island Lake

Saturday night was the monthly game night with two other neighbors, and the weather was so nice that we were able to play outdoors on a patio. Sunday night was mixed doubles pickleball here on the community courts, and Monday night we attended an outdoor concert here.

The down side of the weekend was that we learned over a dozen members of our community currently have Covid. It appears to have come from a large indoor gathering held here last weekend, at which no one was masked. While our county does not have a mask mandate for indoor activities, the CDC has said people should wear a mask indoors if they are not able to socially distance. We do not attend any large events indoors, and even with small ones I always wear my mask. Because of a delay in relaying information about the outbreak, many more people have been exposed. It is unfortunate that no one was warned before the holiday weekend. It's too soon to tell how many residents will be impacted by this.

Speaking of Covid, things continue to get worse here and around the world. It seems like new variants pop up each week, and it sounds like the latest - MU - may be resistant to our vaccinations. The government is very close to recommending a booster shot beginning September 20th. I won't hesitate to get it. 

Here are the latest coronavirus numbers: North Carolina has had 1.26 million cases and 14,848 deaths. In the United States there have been 40.2 million cases and 650,000 deaths. Worldwide there have been 219 million cases and 4.5 million deaths. The numbers are grim, there are still too many unvaccinated people in the US, and false information continues to be spread on social media. I'm not sure what it will take to get us to the goal of a 70% vaccination rate.

Things are not Looking Good

Vax or Mask

Well, it appears as though the we have not turned the corner on Covid after all. Case numbers are going up, predominantly due to the Delta variant which is significantly more contagious and spreads faster than the other strains. Delta now accounts for 83% of the nation's Covid cases. The CDC is back-pedaling and suggesting that all people - vaccinated and unvaccinated - again wear masks inside crowded places. Duh! With less than 50% of the US population fully vaccinated, it doesn't take a genius to figure out that keeping masks on would be a good idea. 

For the first time I am seeing (and hearing) a ground swell of sentiment against the unvaccinated. It is due to them that we never reached herd immunity, and the Delta variant was able to take hold. Again, they claim it is a violation of their rights to force them to get a vaccination. But what about the violation of the rights of the vaccinated? Why should we be forced to wear masks again when we did the right thing by getting vaccinated? Until there are severe consequences to those who refuse the shot such as being let go from their jobs, not being allowed into public venues, not being able to board a plane or a ship, we will never convince them to be vaccinated so that we stand a chance or eradicating this deadly virus.

Here is an update on overall Covid statistics. North Carolina has had 1.05 million cases and 13,651 deaths. In the United States there have been 35 million cases (1 million more than I reported two weeks ago!) and 613,000 deaths. Worldwide there have been 197 million cases and 4.2 million deaths. How can so many people just ignore these statistics?

It is certainly possible that more restrictions will be imposed on us in the near future. The results of behaving as if there was no pandemic for the past couple months is taking its toll. 

Current Covid Data

In the last post I stated my concerns that the country has moved too quickly with regards to the mask mandate. In allowing vaccinated people to partake in activities indoors and out without a mask while expecting non-vaccinated people to be honest and continue to wear masks, the CDC and states are taking a huge leap of faith, in my opinion. So I wanted to lay out the current statistics in case this backfires, causing the number of cases to soar again.

To date North Carolina has had 999,000 cases and 12,915 deaths. In the United States there have been 33 million cases and 586,000 deaths. Worldwide there have been 164.6 million cases and 3.4 million deaths.

social distance sign

Having said that, I was suprised to see that, nearly a week following the relaxing of the mask mandate, a fast food restaurant we went to today still had this sign on the door. All of the employees had their masks on, as did all the customers who came in - including us. It appears I am not the only one who is concerned about the latest recommendations.

Jim's Shot in the Arm

Bojangles Coliseum

Jim turned 65 earlier this month, and I was able to schedule his first Covid-19 vaccination on March 6th. He was not able to get an appointment where I went until mid-April, so I went through a neighboring county to sign him up. The vaccines are being given out in multiple locations in that county, but his was at the Bojangles Coliseum. It is not set up as a drive through, which is unfortunate, but inside the building people were spread out and masked. He checked in, filled out a form, and was quickly taken back for his injection. Fifteen minutes later we were on our way home. His arm was a little sore the next day, but he had no other side effects at all.

Like me, he received the Pfizer vaccine, so the wait between shots is 3 weeks. He will return on March 30th for his second vaccination. I think we will rest a little easier once we are both fully vaccinated. We have been super careful in our activities, but not everyone has done the same. So you never know where you might be exposed to Covid. I have to say, it has not been too much of a hardship to stay at home when we can wake up to views like the one we were treated to this morning. Heaven painted a canvas in our backyard.

sunrise on Mountain Island Lake

Covid-19 Update

Covid-19 vaccine

Today is a Covid big news day here. First of all, I got my second vaccination this morning through Atrium Health. Their drive through system is the best. You never have to leave your car, and they have it down to a fine science. While there were a few more cars in line than when I went for my first shot, it moved quickly. Again, the most time-consuming part is waiting the 15 minutes after the shot to make sure you don't have an adverse reaction. To say that I am relieved to receive both doses is an understatement! I realize I still have to take the usual precautions - wear a mask in public, socially distance, and wash my hands frequently - but I feel like I have given myself every chance to avoid getting Covid. Now I am eager for Jim to be protected. He turns 65 on Tuesday, and I am hopeful that we will be able to get him scheduled for his first shot quickly. 

The second big thing to happen is that Governor Cooper is removing the Modified Stay at Home order, which required people to stay at home and businesses to be closed between 10:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m., effective as of 5:00 p.m. today. The number of people who can gather indoors increased from 10 to 25, while outdoor gatherings remain at 50 in attendance. Other attendance restrictions eased a bit as well, but these are the ones which affect most people. North Carolina's numbers for positive Covid tests and cases as well as hospitalizations due to Covid are trending downwards, so that is why he is easing restrictions.

Here are the current Covid statistics: North Carolina has had 858,000 cases and 11,162 deaths. In the United States there have been 28.4 million cases and 508,000 deaths. Worldwide there have been 113 million cases and 2.5 million deaths.

It's great that the numbers are trending downwards, but we really need everyone to remain vigilant. Hopefully people won't go crazy just because they are vaccinated. It can't be stressed enough that we need to follow the same safety protocols as before we got the shots in order to have a chance at containing and hopefully defeating this beast.

Covid-19 Vaccine Update

sunrise on Mountain Island Lake

It has been three days since I received my first Pfizer Covid-19 vaccination. My injection site arm was a little sore Friday and Saturday, but by Sunday that had totally gone away. I experienced no other reactions from the shot. The most serious, of course, would be an anaphylactic reaction, which is why they have you wait 15 minutes following the injection as that is the time period during which such a reaction most likely will occur. 

Some people experience swelling at the site of the shot, which honestly normally happens to me. Other common side effects are fever, chills, tiredness and headaches. While I am feeling very fortunate that I didn't experience any of those things, I do know that it is more common for them to occur following the second shot. But I'll count my blessings that the first one went so smoothly.

Not Throwing Away My Shot

Atrium Health Covid-19 vaccination tent

This morning I was able to receive my first Covid-19 vaccination at the Atrium Healthcare facility in Concord, NC, which is about 45 minutes away from my home. Once we figured out where on the huge campus the shots were taking place, the process could not have been easier. We drove up and were immediately greeted by an attendant who verified how many in the car were being vaccinated. (I had Jim come with me in case I had an adverse reaction, but as he is not 65 yet he is ineligible to receive the shot in North Carolina at this point.) After I told the man it was just me, he asked if I had received a bar code from Atrium, which unfortunately I had not. He handed me paperwork that I had to fill out, as well a a vaccine report card on which they record your first and second shots.

first Pfizer Covid-19 vaccination

He then sent me up to the next attendant, and she made sure that I did indeed have an appointment, verified my date of birth and address, and waited while I completed the form. Next I drove straight ahead to a large tent, where a nurse asked me a couple of other questions, checked my paperwork, and then gave me the shot. It was the least painful injection I have ever received - way better than tetanus and shingle shots. From there I pulled behind a few cars where I was asked to wait 15 minutes before leaving. This is to make sure you don't have a severe reaction to the vaccine, which is rare but has occurred. From start to finish, we were there less than 25 minutes, and I never had to leave my car. Easy, peasy! 

It has been three hours since the injection, and while my arm is slightly sore everything else is fine so far. I know I may get some reaction, and I suspect I will as I have from other shots. And I have heard that reactions increase with the second shot. But that is good as your body is doing what it is supposed to do at that point.

I recognize that I am incredibly fortunate to have been able to schedule my vaccinations. I hope that when Jim turns 65 next month, we are able to get appointments for him as well. And I pray that the vast majority of Americans will agree to be vaccinated, as that is the only way we can kill off this deadly virus.

Modified Stay at Home Order Extended Again

Governor Cooper has extended our stay at home order again, this time until February 28th. He said that while the numbers have stabilized a bit over the past few days, they are still too high. He added that too many residents are falling ill to Covid and there are still too many deaths from the virus. We are at day 250 of Safer at Home orders, and 307 of overall restrictions due to the pandemic. 

To date, North Carolina has had 731,000 cases and 8,839 deaths. In the United States there have been 25.5 million cases and 425,000 deaths. Worldwide there have been 100 million cases and 2.16 million deaths.

While earlier it seemed clear that a covid vaccine would soon be available to all who wanted to get one, recent events have indicated a shortage of the shots. Whether that is because the states aren't getting the supply (which is what they say) or the states have the supply but don't have the manpower or funds to administer the shots (which is what the pharmaceutical companies are saying) is unclear. It is sad that there is so much finger pointing going on in what is literally a matter of life and death. There are all kinds of tales of people receiving the vaccine who do not qualify (due to their age or work situation) while other folks who clearly qualify due to age or health are being told there is no appointment available for them.

The fog that rolled in here last night is indicative of my current mood. 

foggy night

Number 46

God bless America

Today Joe Biden was sworn in as the 46th president of the United States. His job will not be an easy one in light of the divisiveness our country has experienced, particularly in the last four years. For the first time we have a female Vice President, Kamala Harris, who is African-American and Indian-American. A lot of history was made today.

Everything about the inauguration was upbeat while at the same time not sugar-coating the fact that we are an America divided. The message was clear that there is much work to do, and that it will take all of us to make a difference in our country. 

I pray that the President and Vice President, along with all the elected officials, will be able to do their jobs bravely and peacefully. It will be interesting to see how Biden will approach the pandemic as the country has now exceeded 400,000 deaths from the coronavirus. He canceled most of the normal inauguration events due to the virus. But I have to admit that it was surprising to see the number of people gathered together at the Capitol Building for the ceremony, even though they were wearing masks. Hopefully it will not become a super-spreader event.

The first National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman perhaps captured most the temperature of the United States in the poem that she read at the inauguration. Entitled "The Hill We Climb", she began with the following:

"When day comes we ask ourselves, where can we find light in this never-ending shade? The loss we carry, a sea we must wade. We’ve braved the belly of the beast, we’ve learned that quiet isn’t always peace and the norms and notions of what just is, isn’t always justice. And yet the dawn is ours before we knew it, somehow we do it, somehow we’ve weathered and witnessed a nation that isn’t broken but simply unfinished." The poem is powerful, and you can read it in its entirety here. Such wise words from a young woman of 22. It will be interesting to follow her career.

God bless our country's leaders, and God bless America!