When I was little, I used to build cabins in the basement of the family bungalow, especially in the winter.
The sofa, table and two chairs served as a structure. The walls and ceilings were made of old sheets that my mother would give us, happy to feed our imagination. The cushions furnished the interior.
And there, with my younger brother, I was playing to protect myself from the bad guys who were lurking in the area. I had the feeling of being really safe, of being able to face the worst, the cold, the wolves, the bandits and the enemy soldiers. And each time, we succeeded in bringing down the invisible, defeating it or driving it away.
I often think back to those cabins from my childhood, especially when I go down to my own basement to finish, in the bed of the small room, a night cut short by the hustle and bustle of the previous day.
I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately, with this invisible enemy overwhelming us. I bundle up tightly under the “covers” of the small bed, remembering the feeling of security that our cabins of yesteryear gave us, invincible.
Like most people, I was flabbergasted to hear François Legault announce the return of health restrictions during the press conference on Thursday, December 16. What ? We must cancel the big ones parties Christmas and New Years? Should we put aside these meetings that we have been preparing for weeks to recharge our batteries?
And the more the week goes on, the more the flood of cases forces us to face the implacable reality: no, the war is not over; no, mass vaccination does not put an end to restrictions, to overwhelmed hospitals; no, social relations will not return to what they were before, not yet.
At the end of this press conference, after the announcement of the return of restrictions, I imagined the long siren which sounded in the cities of Europe, during the Second World War, to alert the population of an imminent bombardment. To the shelters, citizens!
We all want to give in to discouragement. A thousand and one questions come to mind. How many more Omicron variants will arise? How often will you need to be vaccinated again? Will the vaccination passport become valid only with three doses?
Will health measures get the better of our collective cohesion? Will our mental health hold up? How will the future of young people be affected?
Will we be able to immunize the whole planet to quell the virus? Will we have to start over every year?
And in the immediate future, will the absenteeism from work of the mass of people infected simultaneously cause a disorganization of our services?
When I was little, our cabins often did not stay intact. The numerous trips that we made inside to face the adversary caused the sheets that were attached to the structure with clothes pins to come loose.
The occupants then hurled at each other, begging each other to better crawl between the table and the couch to preserve the cabin. After the maternal intervention for a sudden healthy snack, we got back to work, preparing the shelter for the next battle. The game lasted a while, before fading to better come back a few days later.
In the face of COVID-19, we are obligated to face adversity. To question ourselves, of course, but also to trust us collectively. To draw on our reserves, to help each other and to show ingenuity.
Let us not forget that the virus works in waves. In a few weeks, the curve will flatten out, as in the past, and before the snow melts, we will again be able to act with more freedom. In the meantime, our brilliant researchers will have found new weapons to protect us.
For this holiday season, I therefore wish you good luck, dear readers. Happy Holidays, despite everything… and good luck with your cabins!