Good Morning!
Regular readers of this outfit will know that we consider “being out” pretty essential. I seek the woods and waters and the empty places, and find it to be as important in my life as most anything past food, water, and shelter are.
And most of the time, we’re the only people that seem to feel that way. I don’t know how many times we’ve been out to the woods, or parks on a bluebird day, and wondered where all the people were. “How can they be inside today?!?”, we’ve asked ourselves.
Now, in a time where “social distancing” is more important than ever, I’ve been saddened and disappointed by all of the folks congregated outside, and am now confused about why they are outside.
And I’m not talking about a couple taking a walk, or a single person out for a run, I’m talking about big enough crowds that the Governor felt compelled to close the Coopers Rock overlook or Blackwater Falls.
I think this frustrates me for two reasons -
1. the wear and tear on these places we love, now seeing more people than I’ve ever seen using them - and likely by people who don’t do “outside” much, and
2. If you weren’t outside before, why are you outside now? Put another way, if you were willing to spend your sunny Saturdays day drinking before, or your lovely evenings at home watching TV before, why are you out now?
Today’s photo from one of those “where is everyone” days - on the beach, on a perfect morning, with 2 other people. A far cry from the photos of the beaches we’ve seen in the last few weeks.
Be careful, make good decisions, and take care of each other out there. It’ll all be over soon enough.