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Life In the Time of Corona (Fifth in an unlimited series)

Details: Created: 01 May 2020

Life In the Time of Corona (Fifth in an unlimited series)

Chuck’s Note: My longtime friend Steve Slavsky wrote these comments after reading an article in The Intelligencer of New York Magazine entitled “Even Naked, America Cannot See Itself: In a time of plague, willful blindness is a coping mechanism” by Zak Cheney-Rice. Steve’s thoughts are reprinted here with his permission.

WHERE IS OUR DEMOCRACY HEADED?

Steve Slavsky

I have been concerned for several years over the fast growing economic gap in the United States and what it may portend for the future. Having studied revolutions that have occurred in many countries over the past 300 years, especially those since 1900, I believe we are reaching a very dangerous time in history for our democracy.

Things can go in many different directions, and no one knows the future, but I personally believe that we can't survive with our current state of affairs. It is not just the leadership, which is skewed toward maintaining or increasing inequality. It is the failure of us, as Americans, to alleviate the problem.

Photo by CDC on Unsplash

Do I know what to do about it? Not really. What I do know is that everything about our freedoms and our rights can be lost if we, as a country, move too far to the right or the left. What's kept us going all these years is the ability to listen to each other and to compromise. That ability seems to have almost disappeared.

As I get older, I realize more and more, that the opportunities I had as a lower

middle-class kid just aren't there for the majority of American youth anymore. Education has always been the way to move up the ladder of life and it's becoming less and less available for those who need it most.
I'm reminded a lot of the Roman Empire, and how its collapse led to a very dark time for the world. Not that it was really that great before that time--there was essentially a dictator and a plutocracy. Unfortunately, I see many parallels all over the world today. The U.S. doesn't have a dictator, but it certainly has a plutocracy whose members are only interested in enriching themselves with no interest in the common good.

Note: Steve Slavsky grew up in the Bronx where he attended public schools before graduating from the City College of New York. He served six years active duty in the Army and then worked for the Department of Defense for 27 years in the acquisition field. After retirement, he spent nine years consulting as a federal acquisitions expert.

Life In the Time of Corona (Fourth in an unlimited series)

Details: Created: 13 April 2020

Life In the Time of Corona (Fourth in an unlimited series)

(Note: The following was written by my son Marc Cascio, who is in his 28th year

of teaching high school and coaching youth soccer—Chuck Cascio)

REALIZING ‘PURPOSE’ IN THE TIME OF CORONA

By Marc Cascio

Before he died, my Grandpa Wells used to stand guard at the doors of the Sunrise Retirement home where he eventually passed away. Nobody, not even my mother, could explain why he assumed this role: certainly nobody asked him to and, though he had once been a stalwart and aggressive man who survived D-Day and was a known entity to high-up generals, in his later days he would have been ineffective at stopping nearly anyone who invaded the home. Still, every morning, as the other elderly people shuffled here and there and busied themselves with whatever filled the time, my grandfather took up his post at the door, and there he remained.

I understand now. My grandfather was a man of action and had been for his whole life. He was on his own early, and the perpetual motion of the military provided sanctuary for his restless nature. If he was cleaning boots, he was doing so for a purpose, regardless of how important he viewed that purpose. By acting as a sentry, he created meaning for himself, and that meaning gave him purpose. He probably knew he wasn't really protecting his house any longer, but nobody said as much and the sense of purpose fed his restless soul.

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If nothing else, I have come to understand the meaning of purpose through this whole damned virus thing. I MISS my work! I MISS my students and my players! The time that I get to spend with my own family is wonderful, yes, but I miss feeling like more of a contributor. I know some may be inclined to think by saying that I am guilty of a transgression against my family, but part of my self importance is derived from my own children seeing me work hard and seeing me try to help others. I cannot divorce myself from that, and the days seem soooo long sometimes.

The other day, in a moment of unwitting precociousness, our 13 year old, Zoey, said she misses school because it gives her purpose. I am not surprised. My mom doesn't need to work, but she still does. She works at a Sunrise facility and (sorry mom), but she is probably older than some of the residents. Yet she won't stop working. She will brave the virus, because not working is a worse fate. My dad's retirement too is a paradox: He works as hard now as he ever did, and that is harder than most everyone I know. His work gives him purpose. He won't stop.

It is wrong, of course, to feel sorry for myself when I still have my health and when we are in a much better spot than many whose life and/or livelihood have been ripped away, but I still feel the absence of purpose. And I now understand what drives an old man to stand by a door protecting nothing in one sense…and everything in another.

Life In the Time of Corona (Third in an unlimited series)

Details: Created: 03 April 2020

Life In the Time of Corona (Third in an unlimited series)

by Chuck Cascio

chuckwrites@yahoo.com

As a former high school and college educator over the course of 27 years, I was curious to know how students today feel about most academic institutions being closed for the remainder of the school year. So I asked my niece, Caroline, and five of my grandchildren (Maddie, Jack, Ryan, Zoey, and Wyatt) to write a few sentences about how the coronavirus and school closings are affecting them. Here, in their own words, are their comments (from youngest to oldest):

Wyatt (age 10; fifth grader)--The coronavirus pandemic is a little bit scary to me because I have no school for the rest of the year. Coronavirus is a weird thing to handle for me because I cannot walk to any friends' houses or speak to any friends in person. I have no idea what to do now. I can't be near anyone or make any contact with anyone. I do go outside a lot and am bored when I can't go outside.

Zoey (age 13; eighth grader)--The corona quarantine and the virus in general will never be forgotten and will be a future history lesson. The quarantine has left a lot of different feelings to a lot of different people. To some, it might be an extended summer. To others, it is a serious pandemic. I believe that this is a serious time which should not be treated as a time to hang out with friends all day and go out to the mall or play games of any sort. Even though school was closed for the rest of the year, it is important to spend some of the day studying what you already learned during the year. Overall, I believe that this time should not be taken lightly because the virus is killing and infecting millions a day all over the world.

School grounds midday and midweek in the time of corona. photo by chuck cascio

Ryan (age 14; high school freshman)— My time during the coronavirus has been a mixture of feelings. At first, this time off was the best thing ever--school was out, I could hang with my friends all day and nothing was better than this! Then my feelings started to change--my parents started saying no to hangouts, and I couldn’t hang with my friends as much. All in all, this “coronacation” has been a mixture of having fun with my friends, boredom, and overall getting more sleep!

Jack (age14; high school freshman)—This coronavirus quarantine has left me extremely bored and often wondering what I should do with my time. i have been able to practice sports in my backyard and lift weights in my garage. I wish this could all be over and everything would go back to normal.

Maddie (age16; high school junior)—While I will admit I was one hoping for a few days off of school to make up for the missed snow days, this was not what I expected. I miss not having things to go to and do. I miss spring sports and school friends, and I miss a normal routine. Lately, at home, I have been spending a lot of time trying to do things outdoors. I refuse to sit inside all day and not do anything...it was making me go crazy! I am hoping to make the best of this and hope this all comes to an end soon so we can all get back to normalcy.

Caroline (age 19; college freshman)--Although being quarantined in our houses is not fun, I think that it is the right thing to do to flatten the curve. I have taken all of this extra time to start a 400-hour violin practice challenge where I post videos of me playing each day. In addition to focusing on violin, I have also been cooking and baking a lot more, which I was unable to do during my time on campus each week. Finally, I think this has been a great time for everyone to reflect on their lifestyles and daily choices. Fewer people are going places, which isn’t fun, but it’s making the planet greener and reducing carbon emissions; people are eating healthier because they are forced to cook more or learn to cook; more people are contacting each other because they aren’t caught up in their own lives and activities; and people are forgiving themselves for not being busy and giving them “me time” where they learn or practice a skill that they’ve always wanted to do. Even though a lot of people’s new year resolutions might be messed up by this virus, we will be able to take this time to start new goals and find fun workouts to do at home by yourself or with your family!

Have a comment or a story to add to the "Life in the Times of Corona" series? Write to me at chuckwrites@yahoo.com.

Life In the Time of Corona (Second in an unlimited series)

Details: Created: 28 March 2020

Life In the Time of Corona (Second in an unlimited series)

My friend and former colleague John Scott, an outstanding teacher and baseball coach, wrote the following, expressing his own affection for our National Pastime. I am proud to publish it with his permission.

Diamond Days

John Scott

Diamond Days....

Sights and sounds of days on the field…

The aroma of the fresh cut field. The soft breeze kicks up the dust.

The smell of leather. The crack of the bat.

Cheers. Chatter. All of that.

You take the mound. He digs in at home. The catcher crouches, goes through his signs.

You tip your hat, re-grip the ball, begin your wind-up and then let loose the mighty pitch.

A curve spins along the way.

The batter peers, picks up the seams as the ball draws near.

He sets his eyes, adjusts his stance, begins his swing...

He’s got a chance!

The swing is mighty. The crowd goes quiet as the ball meets the bat in a tremendous crack!

They all look up, race toward the ball. The left fielder sprints, lays out but can’t quite reach the ball.

The ump cries out, “FOUL BALL!”

It’s just one pitch, and there are many more.

But to the boys it is so much more.

Each pitch, each swing, each throw and catch is set in their memory from the field that day.

There is something magical and therapeutic about playing—and watching—our National Pastime!

About John Scott: John played baseball from Little League, Babe Ruth League, American Legion, and high school through college and then coached baseball for 19 years at three different high schools in Fairfax County, VA.

Life In the Time of Corona (First in an unlimited series)

Details: Created: 26 March 2020

Life In the Time of Corona--First in an unlimited series

Baseball, where are ye?

by Chuck Cascio

chuckwrites@yahoo.com

Baseball, where are ye?

To me, you have always represented the start of the new year—

the presence of spring and time spent outdoors amid flowering trees and watching kids take on the challenge of the bat and ball;

the promise of summer ahead, replete with the gentle call of family, cookouts, beaches, and surf;

the ultimate beauty of fall with a series of games that defy analysis, challenge athleticism, and truly identify the sport's heroes;

Come back, baseball!

Soon!

You are missed!

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