Today the family and I went to the high school closest to us to get a little fresh air and some exercise. Day #3 of the mandated "Shelter in Place" for California. When we drove there we passed one car on the way instead of the usual 20-30. We parked in the empty parking lot that's usually packed and bustling with students and families and activity.
My family of 5 went to the empty baseball fields to hit balls and runs some bases. (We figured since the boys baseball season was cancelled we'd make a point to run drills and keep their skills sharp.) So there we are, the 5 of us walking past the closed up and quiet high school. I felt like we were trespassing even though we'd be there a million times before on the weekends, this felt different. We were playing a game of baseball on a field that was suppose to be filled with students getting ready for their spring sport to start. We walked to the farthest diamond and ironically found a lone baseball sitting on the pitchers mound.
It was weird. I know the quarantine wasn't sudden and we had a week or so notice it was coming but it still felt like whomever left that ball must have either left in a hurry to get home because they heard school might close. Or I can imagine that player just heard his final high school season of baseball was cancelled and just let the ball drop from his hand. Like that lone ball sitting on the mound represented the broken hearts of an entire varsity baseball team.
So my family and I played on that field. We all took turns hitting and catching. Running the bases and laughing at the balls that flew so high in the sky we were blinded by the sun and lost the ball entirely. And when the ball disappeared in the sky I tell my boys that's the angels grabbing the ball cause they want to play too. After a while of hitting and catching and throwing, I decided to leave the boys to play and I walked the perimeter of the fields, like I'd done a million times before.
As I walked, enjoying the sun that kept peeking through the black, rain clouds that had earlier drenched the grass, I noticed the sound of silence and oddly, it was deafening.
Don't get me wrong, silence is a blessing sometimes, and with 3 boys it's something I seldom hear but this was different. It was the silence that made me sad. The lack of noise was making my heart feel heavy.
So there is a soccer complex that's directly next to the school and is always packed. You always hear parents cheering for their kids when they make a goal. Always hear whistles and coaches yelling directions. Cars driving in and out, horns honking, people playing music and kicking balls around. Today there was none of that. Just the sound of my feet hitting the ground.
I keep walking and listening to birds chirping, which is lovely, but the lack of activity at a school made me sad. I thank God my kids aren't high school seniors because the thought breaks my heart. The proms, the games, the last chance to connect with kids you've grown up with. The last opportunity to tell the girls you've had a crush on your whole life you think she's the best. The last chance to tell the boy with the messy hair that his smile melts your heart. Those opportunities have vanished, along with the sound.
I'm walking past the tennis courts now that are always full of kids practicing and coaches giving instruction but now, now are quiet and empty, each entrance locked up. The wind blows and an empty water bottle rolls past me and I can't help but think how weird this is. It's like I was walking through some strange post-apocalyptic movie but it was real life.
Finally I walk past the soccer fields and at the corner I see one, single woman running and I smiled so big I looked like a crazy person. "Hi! Beautiful day huh?" She beamed a smile back and said "It is. Nice to see someone else out here trying to reach their step goal." She kept jogging and I laughed because I was thinking, "I'm glad I'm on this side of the fence and we're at least 15 feet apart. No chance of getting any virus from here." How sad. But I keep walking and head back to my family.
In the distance I see my husband sitting on the grass as he's watching our boys climb a hill of dirt. My elementary school kids playing on a dirt hill with their "too cool for school 'cause I'm a freshman now" brother, who is playing King of the Hill. All three of my boys are covered in dirt, pushing each other and scampering to reach the top first in victory. All I hear is laughter bellowing and echoing from my children and as my husband turns to see me walk towards him, he shoots me his mega watt smile and melts my heart.
Life is good. God is good. This will end and we will be ok. I'm sad for all the kids growing up and missing out on their memories but I'm also glad those kids, those seniors, will get a chance to grow up. They will have the chance to make more memories if we all do our part and stay safe and stay healthy.
I'm glad that for every depressing fact out there regarding the Covid 19 virus there are examples of how God is in control.
*Someone died today from the virus.
Positive: The canals in Venice are finally clear enough that dolphins are swimming the water.
*Another 2 weeks before we will see any results this virus is being contained.
Positive: Pollution is clearing up since there are hardly any cars, trains, boats or planes emitting poison into our air.
*People are temporarily losing jobs and can't work.
Positive: Our families are reconnected and our love and bonds are being strengthened everyday .
*We are limited to two can of soup at the grocery store.
Positive: People are putting up their Christmas lights so families out for an evening drive have something beautiful to look at.
See, there is evil in the world but there is good. Where there is death there is life and beauty. When evil tries to snake it's way into our thoughts and lives there He is. God waiting on the couch to stand up and say "Let's feast and praise God. I will give you clean air to breath. I will connect you with your loved ones. I will provide you with just enough to get by but you will get by."
I'm not a preacher, I'm not an over-the-top Holy roller but I do believe in God and I do believe in good. I believe that we will come together and like this virus, this evil that's trying to break us apart. We will defeat it because at our cores we are humans, we love, we have God on our side and this too shall pass.