The  COVID-19 pandemic has a grip on my country and it feels surreal. There was a police officer enforcing the face masks mandate at the entrance of the super center yesterday where I shop for groceries.

 As I shopped,  I stopped a moment to just watch people pass. Each of us with facemasks on and hurrying through what is usually a leisurely task. The faster done the faster we can get out of the petri dish of humanity.

 As I paused and watched the masked people I began to feel like I was living in a science fiction story. Perhaps dystopian fiction like The Hunger Games or Divergent. But no, this is my reality now...all of ours. America under quarantine is still America. Whatever it takes and however long it takes....we'll push through these dark days like we have so many others and come through stronger for it.  We can't say thank you enough to the health care workers on the front lines. They have put themselves at risk to take care of our loved ones, to be there with them when we can't.

 Cover us with your grace and mercy,  Almighty God.