THERE'S LITTLE WE CAN DO ABOUT THE STORMS OF LIFE

With thunder rumbling over Lake Huron this particular afternoon and bringing with it heavy winds, rain, hail and tornado potential prompting Environment of Canada warnings, I rounded up all the spare candles in my house in the event of a power outage and proceeded to wait it out in the shelter of my front porch, as I so often do.

Storms do not intimidate me. In fact I love to be exposed to them for as long as possible in the outdoors. There is something relaxing, yet awe-inspiring, in giving into a storm. Realizing my vulnerability with the powerful force of nature's elements, I am always reminded of how helpless and insignificant I really am in the face of it all.

I cannot do one single thing to stop a storm. All I can do is enjoy the calm that always follows and live with the consequences in the aftermath, be they good or bad. It is that way with a lot of things in life.

Think about deadly fact-of-life diseases that have plagued the world since the beginning of time and the current COVID pandemic that is killing millions of people world-wide and affecting the existence of millions more. 

Long story made short: In spite of superhuman efforts and the expenditure of billions of dollars by governments, the COVID virus will never be stopped, or eradicated. 

Simply stated, there is no highly effective vaccine or antiviral treatment for coronavirus. A disease that can be eradicated must be either preventable or curable. Smallpox is preventable with a vaccine. Hepatitis C is curable with certain antiviral drugs. (Because of this, some in the biomedical community are pushing for the eradication of hepatitis C.) But a highly effective vaccine for COVID is unlikely, given that humans probably don't develop long-lasting immunity to coronaviruses. Besides, some vaccines are unimpressive to begin with. The 2017-18 seasonal flu vaccine, for instance, was merely 38% effective.

This leaves one requirement that is essential to eradicate any infectious disease -- a concerted global effort. Imperfect as they are, that's why institutions like the World Health Organization are absolutely crucial in where we go from here. 

Without a doubt, millions are working around the globe to fight the coronavirus, but science tells us it won't be enough. Experts reveal that the basic biology of the disease will prevent eradication...In spite of best efforts, there will be nothing more we can do other than to learn to live with it.

There are just some things we cannot conquer and that we have to learn to accept or live with, doing what we can to limit the resultant impact.

Again, like weather storms, we wait it out; doing our best with what is at our disposal to limit  inevitable discomfort in the form of more taxes...and death.

We sometimes run, but we can never hide!

Meantime look for the proverbial silver lining behind those storm clouds of life that I truly believe are created to keep us honest and cognizant of how little in control we really are. We're only placed here for a short period of time so we might as well make the best of it while we can. Fulfilling our destiny, so to speak, with what we've been given in the form of intelligence, talents and skills sufficient to sustain life on earth for ourselves, our loved ones and mankind in general.

When it is over, it is over. That's all we really know for sure. There is no comprehension of the hereafter. We are left to accept/believe ancient Biblical pronouncements for where we go after our soul leaves our dead, decomposing or cremated, worldly physical presence that does exceptionally well to weather four score and seven. 

Is that really all there is, you may well ask a la songstress Peggy Lee?

To which I'm compelled to answer: I'm afraid so!

Make of it what you will.

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And, oh yes, about that storm earlier today. It too passed and did not reach the forecast intensity for my area. That's the way it goes with the weather...You never know what you're going to get. Not that it makes any difference. We couldn't do anything about it anyway.