As the COVID-19 death toll continues in Italy and now in the U.S., it would be easy to lapse into fits of despair. Even here in what’s known as the “Historic Triangle” of Virginia, we’ve seen an increased number of cases and deaths. As of last night there have been 5 COVID-19 related deaths and 46 coronavirus cases in our Peninsula health district, the majority in James City County where Blogger Virginia lives.
Our county has been classified as an ‘outbreak’ area. Like I shared last week, we are just a small county compared to the big cities and metropolitan areas in our state.
Many places are shut. Yesterday the Governor of Virginia closed all schools through the end of the academic year, plus a long list of other places. Many folks have lost their jobs. We are now in this for a longer haul.
Lots to worry about! But, here’s the thing about worry. Worry tends to weaken our hearts when we need them to be the strongest.
“Worry does not empty today of its sorrow. It empties today of its strength.” Corrie Tan Boom
How do we avoid worry blues? By choosing HOPE (and lots of prayer.) Hope strengthens our hearts to keep doing all we can. Hope seeks to help others (even from a distance of 6 feet, or alone in our homes by phone.)
Hope washes worries away with faith.
Hope prays. Hope stays. Hope saves.
Hope slays despair with God’s presence in our hearts and lives.
“Hope never abandons you; you abandon hope.” George Weinberg
grace, peace & hope
Virginia : )
“But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Isaiah 40:31
Roses in the Rubble 
Continuous faith and prayers.
Praying for you, too, Arlene. Please be careful! Lots of love & hugs! ✨🧼🤗🧼✨
Thanks Virginia 🙏🙏🙏🙏
Hoping you and yours are all well and safe. Take good care of one and all 😷🙂
Namaste 🙏
DN
Dewin, hoping that you and your family will be safe through this crisis. Please be careful!! Lots of hugs (germ free ones!) ✨🙏✨🧼🤗🧼✨
Thank you Virginia 🙂 We are being socially responsible and doing our best to remain safe during these unprecedented times.
We are led to believe the largest anticipated rise in COVID-19 cases is two to three weeks away. Certainly I hope to be around on the backend of that!
Germ-free hugs, best wishes, keep well and smiling behind the mask 😷😃
Namaste 🙏
DN
Dewin, It looks like we will be at home for longer than expected (most everything here in our town now will be closed through end of April.) Prayers that you WILL BE around on the backend of the COVID-19 rise in the UK. (Took me two reads to figure that one through.) Hopefully Wales is not a hotspot? Although our small county had a rough wake-up call, best do all we can to curb spread wherever we are!!
May you and your family remain safe!
Namaste 🙏 (Love what that means! A fav author Henri Nouwen wrote that we are all “sparks of the divine.”)
✨🧼🤗🧼✨
It is a similar state of affairs this side of the pond as well Virginia. With the exception of those deemed ‘key workers’, the U.K is in total lock-down. A high percentage of services, facilities, businesses and non-essential retailers are closed for an unknown duration, and all schools, colleges and universities as well. Focus is on self-isolation for the larger majority of people and as yet there is no indication when these unprecedented, but necessary, measures will be lifted. I imagine cabin-fever will prevail!
I trust you and yours are all well and will remain so. No doubt your immediate community is making some sort of provision possible for those who may require any additional help or support. Thousands of people have also volunteered to assist our National Health Service (NHS), which is under huge pressure at this time. Those that work for the NHS truly deserve our gratitude for doing their utmost in such difficult times. I applaud their gracious effort.
COVID-19 is an international pandemic and Wales also has its share of cases and fatalities.
Thank you Virginia: you and yours remain safe as well! Take good care, keep smiling and drinking tea! (I’m sure a little sugary food would also help keep your spirits up!)
Henri Nouwen has a wonderful way with words, which invoke the feeling of spiritual oneness of heart and mind with the person one is greeting. It is a word that transcends all barriers.
My thoughts and best wishes are with you all.
Namaste 🙏
DN
Thank you for your update, Dewin. So sorry for cases & deaths in Wales. Guess it’s like our small county that still leads our state in per/capita cases vs. the big cities. I follow the BBC news so have been tracking what’s going on on your side of the pond (+ a dear British friend is a nurse & posts FB updates.) Hope and pray that all the stringent measures in place will save lives! In Virginia our governor made an official “stay-at-home” order on Monday (after telling us to do that every day the last two weeks!)
Like your NHS personnel, our health care providers are also doing their utmost – but it’s hard with limited supply chains for testing materials & things like ventilators. God help us all!!
I have been drinking even more tea than normal (= LOTS!) Somehow having a cuppa tea is an exercise in calm (especially in a nice cup!)
Hope that you and your family will be safe & well! Take good care of yourself! Really good care!! Blessings- VA 🌟🤗🌟
Thank you Virginia, your warm, thoughtful sentiments are entirely reciprocated two-fold. Y’all take really good care of each other as well.
Sadly, I think we have to be realistic about the effects of C-19 in as much that the global death toll will undoubtedly continue to rise still further before the spike begins to flatten. One hopes, in all ways, for the best outcome.
By March 27th, COVID-19 had spread to all continents and affected 177 countries. However, I imagine the developed nations of this world will fare far better relatively than those where poverty, in its broadest sense, and vulnerable healthcare systems already prevail. For example the impact of a similar epidemic as seen in Europe would be devastating in West Africa. Lest we also forget the potential impact of C-19 on millions of refugees worldwide who have been forcibly displaced from their homes due to conflict or persecution.
In these unprecedented times, a fellow blogger, and good blogging friend, (Sue) has just posted a request for a million people across the globe to join a Global Meditation on April 4th sending Healing and Love out into the world. Should you, or any of your reader’s, or fellow bloggers wish to participate, further details are included in her poetic post…
https://suedreamwalker.wordpress.com/2020/04/02/ancient-wisdom-in-gratitude/
Life always seems better after a good ole’ cup-of-rosie-lee and a slice of sexton blake! 😉
Take care Virginia,
Namaste 🙏
DN
Dewin, you are so correct that some countries are hard pressed for resources to fight COVID-19. When I worked in Africa & needed an MRI for medical issues, there wasn’t an MRI machine for the whole city of 4 million+ where I lived. When I zoomed home for emergency surgery @ MCV (one of the top medical centers in Virginia) my surgeon couldn’t believe that when there are 3 MRI machines @ MCV. Some rural regions in Africa struggle to get x-ray machines, much less ventilators. But there are highly skilled & incredibly resourceful medical professionals there who have done amazing work combating deadly diseases like HIV/AIDS, Ebola & malaria.
I will check out Sue’s blog. She sounds like a kindred spirit. Our whacked out world needs all the love we can give!!! ✨💜✨
Namaste, Dewin!!! 🙏
The diligence and attention of healthcare professions world-wide is admirable. Whilst it is there job to treat, it is the selfless manner with which they operate that defines them. I find them an inspiration at this unprecedented time.
I have read recent articles detailing the lack of equipment and resources across Africa and other developing nations. It makes for somber reading, and I fear the numbers who lose their life will be huge. I hope I am wrong and that an international, collaborative effort by wealthy nations, and world banks, will support these vulnerable countries and minimize deaths. I believe there is a moral and ethical duty to do so.
Love, Peace, and World Unity,
Namaste Virginia 🙏
DN
We all have to help each other, Dewin! 🌍🤗🌍
Lovely HOPEFUL quotes today, Virginia. And hope just naturally turns one to prayer, doesn’t it? Stay healthy, my friend!
Amen, Debbie. I think more prayer strengthens our hope, and hope helps us to pray more. Much love! ✨🌟✨🙏✨
Thanks for the thoughts! I hear that the virus got to Gaza. Oh that will be tough. Prayers for all.
Oh Sarah, so sorry to hear about Gaza. I have been praying for Bethlehem since cases started there in February. Yikes, Gaza already has so many challenges. Lots of prayers – for you & your family, too!! ✨🤗✨🙏✨🧼✨
Thinking and praying for you and your loved ones dear Virginia and also praying for everyone in America and the whole world. Like Padre Pio said: “Pray, hope, and don’t worry. Worry is useless. God is merciful and will hear your prayer.” God bless you all! ❤
Thank you, Patty, for your prayers and words of wisdom from Padre Pio (I am a huge groupie.) Heartbreaking what’s been happening in Italy, Spain and now New York… it’s hard not to worry, but not so hard if we pray & hope, first! May you and your family be safe in Ontario. Much love & lots of prayers. ✨🧼🤗🧼✨💜✨
prayers for all! May you be kept well and safe -and always hopeful!
Prayers for you & your precious family, Michele. Stay safe. May God continue to strengthen our hope muscles in these challenging times. Much love 💕🌟💕
Thank you dear Virginia. God is with us-no matter what. We must pray for the whole world and do what we can do. It is a troubling time. love Michele
Lots of prayers, Michele! 🌟🙏🌟🙏🌟🙏🌟🙏🌟
All we can do is hope and pray for a cure soon!
Amen, my prayers are with frontline healthcare providers + researchers and scientists to find a cure, mitigation measures & a vaccine. 🌟🙏🌟