It's a blustery fall day in northern Utah, we are camped beside a reservoir watching the wind stripping the last leaves from the gamble oaks. That same wind pushes the dark, heavy clouds against the mountains, only to watch them slide over the ridges, laughing as they take the promised moisture away, another example of nature ruling against the desires of humans, a reminder that man does not control nature.
No, man does not control nature, or rather science (as nature is only a manifestation of science in a physical state); regardless of his failed attempts to influence nature as displayed through the centuries by prayers, alters, offerings, and sacrifices galore.
Even as the alchemists tried and failed to turn lead into gold, they tried again and again, only to fail each time. We may indeed use nature, such as the construction of this reservoir to harvest and store snowmelt to provide irrigation water during the dry summer, but we cannot create more snow than nature supplies, nor ban the droughts which plague our farmers.
In fine, we cannot control nature. we may be able, with increasing accuracy, to predict the storms and their intensity, but we cannot command them away. We are able to better protect ourselves from nature's furies and better respond when they occur, but we cannot govern nature's course.
Which brings me to the novel Cronavirus and our responses, or lack thereof, to the deadly Covid-19. Coronavirus, which has existed in some animals, mutated and now is a plague on all humans. It does not care if you are a communist, fascist, socialist, republican, democrat, independent, rich, poor, gay, straight, or undecided. It is nature, and nature does not care about you or I. Not even our President can declare it away.
Covid-19 does not care about Easter, or warmer weather. It concerns itself not if our schools or business are open, surprisingly, it does not give a wit about our upcoming election.
Science does know some facts about this scourge, and science tells us that wearing a mask, washing your hands frequently, disinfecting commonly-touched surfaces, and practicing social distancing helps to slow the spread of this leveler of mankind. These are facts, proven facts; they do not belong to either a political party, a particular person, or a specific faith. We may not like these facts, but they are facts.
If you do not want to spread Covid-19, or see your family members sicken and perhaps die, wear a mask. If you do not want to see your child or your grandfather die from Coronavirus, wear a mask. If you want to help the country recover and prosper again, wear a mask. Stop trying to make it a political statement, or about government overreach or your personal freedom; frankly it is bigger than all that.
It's about your life, and yes, your personal responsibility to all those around you, everyone you come in contact with. It's the bagger at the grocery store, the clerk at the hardware store, the dry cleaner, the receptionist at your place of work.
JUST WEAR THE DAMN MASK!
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R. M. "Bob" Hartman