Shelter in Place, San Francisco, California
We built up this garden around the few odd bits and pieces that were already here, including an old sign we’ve kept in ironic recognition of John’s smoking days. I kind of like the patina and the reminder that we all have bad habits and an imperfect past, to state the obvious. This old sign sits in the garden’s island where, for much of the summer, it is nearly hidden by the hydrangea in back and the agapanthus in front, both ofthem blooming now, and by the leafy artichoke plant in the foreground that will eventually get as tall as me and may, perhaps, bear fruit for the 10th time in so many years. Both sign and artichoke are homage to the yard as it was before I came along.
We all bring our cumulative maladies and bad habits to this moment, pondering what might have been if we’d not gotten so old or had only taken better care of ourselves along the way. Looking at today’s numbers and reading about how much the virus’ danger is being ignored, it’s not easy to remain sanguine about our generation’s chances for survival. Both John and I have health issues that make isolation prudent but not a guarantee. But we’ve had a life - a rich one, I may add - and if we have to stay here the rest of it to be safe, I cannot regret what we have done and lived for nearly 70 years. I would not trade a thing (or not much, anyway). Our children, on the other hand, may (or may not) be safer from the immediate dangers posed by this virus, but I shudder to think of the longterm damage this is taking on their overall health, relationships, emotions, careers, and bank accounts. And our grandchildren, well…
So here we go, starting our second 100 days of quarantine with the number of new cases in the United States reaching an all-time high. The curve is going the wrong direction. The virus is still among us. And it seems inevitable, given the continued lack of a plan and good leadership, that the consequences may be different depending on our age and circumstance, but they promise to be dicey for us all - the young and the old - whether we stay at home or venture back into the world.