One Day at a Time: It’s “Groundhog Day” For Everybody

Here’s one way to view the current situation in which we all find ourselves:

Prior to the pandemic sweeping the nation and the world, our lives were such that each day truly was a new day, filled with new challenges and the possibility of new excitement, albeit to varying degrees.

Today however, with most of us locked down in our homes, our daily routines have taken on a stunning sameness that is bereft of any sense of the usual moments of joy that form the essence of our humanity.

Similar to the classic Bill Murray movie “Groundhog Day” from 1993 (wow, has it really been 27 years?), each day seems to be a repeat of the day before.

The daily news in particular has a feeling of being in “Groundhog Day” mode. The headlines, politicians, and talking heads basically tell us the same thing, day after day after day, to the point where most of us now are tuning it out.

And yet, unlike the movie, there is nothing humorous about the real-life Groundhog Day in which we find ourselves.

The COVID-19 pandemic by far is the most tragic, far-reaching, and life-changing event that every American has faced since the end of World War II 75 years ago.

The phrase, “One day at a time,” which is meant both as an inspira­tion and an admonition to those among us who struggle wth substance abuse and other issues, now applies to every person, in every corner of the globe, regardless of fame, wealth, power, or any other status that differentiates us from anyone else.

The news that public figures as disparate as the actor Tom Hanks, Boris Johnson (the Prime Minister of England), and James Dolan (the billionaire owner of the New York Knicks and Comcast) have contract­ed COVID-19 — on three different continents — makes it clear that the coronavirus does not discriminate and is world-wide in scope. 

In short, there is no escape — no way out — for every human being on the planet.

Moreover, with public health authorities informing us that the ongo­ing lack of testing in the United States continues to leave our nation flying blind in the face of the pandemic, we truly will have reason to fear every interaction with another human being (even if we and they are fully-masked and we space ourselves six feet apart) for the foresee­able future. 

Without any understanding of the true extent of the spread of the disease in the United States, no one can predict when we will begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel. 

“One day at a time” will be our mantra for many days to come.