It’s status quo over here with no potential end to the socially distanced life we are all subjected to living right now in sight.

Maybe a month more? Maybe two?

Probably more.

The World Health Organization declared a national pandemic a month ago today. The 31 days between then and now were both the shortest and the longest days I’ve ever experienced.

Together, we are collectively living a kaleidoscope of paradoxes rife with a wave of emotions that shift by the minute.

50 years ago today, the ill-fated Apollo 13 craft with astronauts Jim Lovell, Fred Haise, and Jack Swigert aboard blasted off from Cape Canaveral to the moon.

Two days later, after hearing something similar to a small explosion, Swigert said, “Houston, we’ve had a problem here,” then Lovell followed with, “Houston, we have a problem.”

A problem it was, indeed, a problem that seemed too big to solve. Doubt and fear for the crew grew with each passing minute.

However, Flight Director Gene Kranz had a different attitude. In response to doubting co-workers, he replied, “With all due respect Sir, I believe this is going to be our finest hour.”

Surprisingly, Kranz never uttered the phrase, “Failure is not an option,” as was portrayed in the movie Apollo 13.

But failure WAS NOT an option for those who tirelessly worked together to solve one of the biggest problems NASA would ever face: bringing the three astronauts safely back to Earth with only what was onboard and a limited supply of fuel, oxygen, and water.

Together, the three astronauts endured fear, darkness, illness, and frigid conditions as they waited in isolation above the Earth.

And in time, NASA’s dedicated team DID solve the problem: Lovell, Haise, and Swigert landed in the Pacific Ocean near Samoa without harm on April 17, 1970.

Fifty years later, COVID-19 is our Apollo 13.

We’ve had a problem here.

It seems too big to solve as we live in doubt and fear.

We are enduring the darkness while in isolation and it feels like we’re floating in some surreal universe above the Earth. To make matters worse, some of us are terribly sick and those we love are suffering.

And some of us are dealing with a grief like no other.

However, there’s a dedicated team somewhere out there comprised of medical professionals and scientists who are working tirelessly to solve this problem because failure is not an option when lives are at stake.

It will take time, but eventually, they will solve it.

And when we overcome this pandemic, we will celebrate our finest hour together.

Until then, take care of yourself and your family, and please don’t lose hope.

Someday will come.

Someday.

 Thanks for joining me on my journey. I’m glad you’re here.

With gratitude,

Jill

“Coronacation Chronicles – April 11, 2020” was posted on jillocone.com and on soulseaker.com on April 11, 2020. Views and opinions expressed in this post are solely those of the writer, who was not compensated in any way by any entity. Copyright 2020, Jill Ocone. All rights reserved. Contact jillocone@gmail.com with reposting, licensing, and publishing inquiries.