The virus struck and it struck, again and again, wave after wave,

First the elderly, then the middle-aged, on to those younger and finally the children

It was indiscriminate and discriminate at the same time

Initially, all were at risk, but as it spread it hurt some communities more than others,

Those living in the lower socioeconomic groups, minorities, the disadvantaged were hit harder, more got infected, more died.

Vaccines arrived and the polarization ensured that a substantial percentage of people would not take it,

They would try home remedies, monoclonal antibodies, unproven treatments, anything to keep from taking an approved vaccine.

And they would get sick, fill our hospital beds, stress the people who chose to go into the healing profession, and many would die, filling our morgues too

The world is different now, particularly for those of us who have tried so hard to do what was asked, what was studied, what was demonstrated to work, what was right, and now we exist in a new normal

With more stress, fewer activities, less time with friends and families, less real human contact, less joy

Before, what were routinely achievable high notes of life, are now far out of reach

To chart joy within life flowing from lows to highs, ups, and downs, has been replaced by one with a lower peak

More time in a funk,

We live in a Muted World