If the experts are correct and I truly hope they are we're just over the halfway point of living this alternate lifestyle, what is starting to feel like an alternate universe, if we're being honest.
We all find our little ways to stay distracted, fight the boredom of spending day upon day inside our homes. I started driving around town Thursday, drove by a couple of local parks, went downtown, just driving, listening to music
and observing.
Today is Good Friday. The weather was splendid for my drive around town, but it makes me a little nostalgic and a bit sad to see the playground equipment roped off. To see the skate park closed. To see so much of Texarkana, where I was born and raised and raised my kids, in a different perspective because of this COVID-19.
I get a little angry, even. The kids should be able to be running around, expelling so much of the energy they possess, swinging and sliding, playing and laughing.
Every year for as long as I can remember my kids even participated one year there was the annual Easter egg hunt at Spring Lake Park. The same park I held practices for all my children when they played soccer.
That won't be the case this weekend.
My son, who will be 19 this summer, and his friends hung out at the skate park. Just somewhere for skaters and their friends to hang out, not bother anyone, and spend time together.
That's not our reality today.
Some days, I feel like I've lost track of what day of the week it is. And I have remained working remotely, like most of the Gazette staff do during this time. We long for the time for this to be over, and the not knowing weighs heavy on everyone's shoulders.
It's been four weeks since the UIL and AAA halted all spring sports and activities. Arkansas' seasons are gone; the announcement that schools will not resume on campus for the remainder of the spring came earlier this week.
Texas is holding out hope, and the UIL, in accordance with state and local officials, has said it will hold spring state championships, if at all possible, with the planned return date of students coming back to school on May 4.
That is less that four weeks away. So, if they are right, and if we continue to stay home and utilize social distancing, it could allow the threat of COVID-19 to burn itself out.
I'm hoping they're correct. I hope we're halfway through this. I hope that within a month, we're able to come out of this and return to a somewhat normal life and routine.