COVID-19 shook the world. I remember hearing about the coronavirus during the Christmas holiday season, and remembering the SARS outbreak from a decade earlier. Today, we have stories to tell our grandchildren.
The speed at which 10-years of economic recovery after the 2008 great recession was dismantled was horrifying. We went from historic 3% unemployment to a nightmarish 13% in a months time. Friends lost jobs, restaurants closed and bars may never open again. Even the neighborhood waffle house shuttered its doors. The NBA season did not happen and schools close their doors.
What have I learned? That destruction of the world's economies is like a dream, happens so fast it makes your head spin and that community is important as all get out. Toilet paper is more than a commodity. I learned to be thankful for a job and never take anything for granted.
The world that emerges on the other side of this crisis will be new. Emerging from lockdown in the next few weeks will be like emerging from a slumber. Like waking from a dream.
Picture from Pixabay.