NOTES, 30 AUGUST 2021

Greetings, blog reader, on Monday, August 30, 2021. We are inundated with bad news these days: wars, plagues, earthquakes, storms, you name it. Sometimes it seems it is all too much to bear. 

In Afghanistan, we see heartbreaking scenes of terrified and desperate people about to be left behind. Tomorrow is the last day of the American military presence there. It gives me no pleasure to remember I predicted this scenario twenty years ago when the U.S. started this misbegotten adventure. Throughout history, no outside force has ever controlled Afghanistan, from Alexander the Great to today. The U.S. attempt was always bound to fail. We just did not see it doing so in such an ignoble and terrible way. This is a dark day for America and even darker for the people of Afghanistan.

The COVID-19 plague still ravages the world, and America in particular. We are now in the third great surge of the pandemic. In some places, as Alabama, this is the worst surge of all. Every hospital in the state is in crisis. There is not a single ICU bed free in the entire state, still, after weeks. The state's health care system is on the verge of breakdown. Yet, vaccination rates remain stubbornly low, mainly in our southeastern states. Alabama still brings up the rear, at 37.9% of the people fully vaccinated. South Carolina is at 43.1%. The U.S. as a whole is over 50%. I go out in public only for necessities.

In the last fourteen days, the plague has worsened in SC: new cases up 48%, hospitalizations up 54%, and deaths up 169%. Alabama seems to have hit a (very high) plateau with +36% cases, +17% hospitalizations (no room left), and +28% deaths.

In addition to all of this, Hurricane Ida slammed into the Louisiana and Mississippi coasts yesterday. My brother and sister in Bay St. Louis MS weathered the storm in my sister's house, on high ground. She has not lost electricity. However, there was a strong storm surge of water; and, as of this morning, my brother has not been able to get back to his house which stands on stilts on a water front. He does not know yet whether water reached the floor of the house which is fourteen feet above sea level (Update. He has learned that the storm surge did not reach the floor of his house, whew). The diminished storm is now heading my way as we anticipate a great deal of rain.

On top of all of that, my family member who went to the hospital nearly two weeks ago is still there. The person is making good progress and I expect will be discharged soon. Still, no visitation is allowed in the age of Covid.

So, in the face of this deluge of woes, I search desperately for good news. I refuse to be vanquished by adversity even though the burden may seem too heavy to bear. Some items of good news are the efforts of the two diocese in South Carolina to move forward into the future. One has chosen a brand new leader, and the other is about to do so. This is hopeful. There are better days ahead in SC. Same at the Advent in Birmingham where "normal" corporate worship is gradually returning. There, the search for the new dean seems to be progressing nicely. All of this is good. 

I think we should bear in mind, as we have for a year and a half now, we did not ask for any of this. It fell in our laps. We wish it would all go away and leave us alone but it will not. These adversities were given to us in the days of our lives that were allotted to us. As Job, we had no choice. Our choice now, is to respond in the best way we know, just as Job did. We must not be overwhelmed by these hard times. Peace.