Could We Just Start Over

If we could go back to January 15th and start all over, I would be all for it.  I remember how incredibly shocked and sad everyone was when Kobe Bryant died on the 26th of that month.  I thought that that would be the worst news of the year.  Since that time period it has felt that every day has brought another piece of bad news.  COVID-19, 100,000 deaths, political divide over our "freedoms" during the stay at home order, protests over masks, graduations cancelled, and unemployment at all time highs have been just a few of the negative stories surrounding those living in the United States these past three months.

With all of that said, these last few days, however, may have been the most depressing of all.  During an arrest on Memorial Day weekend in Minneapolis, an African American male was killed by a police officer in an inhumane matter.  The death was caught on video and although I would not watch it, I know from the outrage that followed that it was very hard to watch.  Due to the nature of the incident many protests were organized around the Minnesota capital.  Unfortunately, several of the gatherings drew the attention of those looking for a more violent way to express their feelings on the matter.  Soon rioting and looting started.  This started six days of violent protests across the nation in multiple cities with looting, shootings, rioting, and burning of businesses all leading to a call for the national guard to step in to help.  It has been extremely unsettling with reports this evening of small riots even in Dekalb, Illinois.

I just wish that all of this would stop.  The stress of the past three months has been too much.  Now we even have news that the number of positive COVID-19 tests in Elkhart and Kosciusko counties is on the rise due to reduced diligence on social distancing.  I wish that we had political leaders that brought about a sense of ease during this tumultuous time period.  Instead all we do is hear them bicker back and forth while pointing the finger at one another.  Every day I get up and hope for this to all end and a return to normalcy to ensue.   I realize that this is an impossible request, but hopefully one day there will be an answer to my prayers.