The Scarlet C

In 1850, Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote the book, The Scarlet Letter. It was about a woman who had an adulterous affair, bore a child from it, and was forced by the community to wear the letter “A” on the front of her bodice for all to see. As if they didn’t know anyway, it was after all 1850 and gossip was the first line of communication in a village. I could go into how that was a really crappy way to treat someone, or how I recall a Bible story about a woman caught in the same sin and the guy was also mysteriously not named (but Jesus forgave her, and didn’t force her to wear her shame in front of everyone), and on an on, but I won’t. But I really want to.

Today, in 2020 we are coming close to doing the same thing except this time it’s the letter C. Call it covid 19 or call it coronavirus, either way it’s causing the same type of ostracism as Hester Prynne received over 200 years ago, on a much wider scale. We evidently don’t have the flu, colds, allergies or any other kind of diseases anymore, just the ‘rona. Cough in public? It’s like dropping dishsoap into greasy water, the entire area suddenly opens up so you and your toxic germs can be alone. Sneeze? Same results. Don’t wear a mask? You hate everyone and you are selfish. Wear a mask? You are now one of the many blinded to the conspiracy that is creeping through our country. Stay home and quarantine? You are setting yourself up for getting sick because your immunity will be down. Get out there and live life despite it all? How dare you possibly carry germs from point A to point B and beyond? Laugh and joke about it? Be serious, this is a dangerous thing and kills even more people than death does. Be super serious about it? Refer to the suicide rate that has exploded in the past year. Perhaps the next step will be to give everyone who has had this a large C to wear so everyone will know. Or maybe they should give out the letter “S” for scared.

Even better, let’s give out kudos for everyone that shuts off their social networks, online news and the internet for a day or ten or more and re-enters the real world that has living human beings instead of social profiles. Let’s give another star for those who reach out and do kindnesses for others just because they can, not to add ”likes” or to gather a larger audience for their blog or whatever other venue they use. Add to that finding the common sense we’ve put aside to be part of the pseudo-family we’ve created with online people that we’ve mostly never even met, but yet allow them to define what our values and morals are, compromising our beliefs in a trade for acceptance.

We are in the middle of yet one more challenge in life. It’s up to you how you respond to it, whether with common sense and courtesy, or with fear, anger and frantic antics. Choose wisely, for what we sow we will reap.

Be well. Be kind. Be wise.

Isaiah 26:3