Grateful expresses how I feel this morning, especially for Premier Doug Ford, Prime minister Justin Trudeau, Mayor John Tory and Education minister Stephen Lecce.

These 4 men—young and old—and the great teams around them have done their best as far as I can see and hear, to keep sanity for Canadians. And Ontarians. They have spouses and children and grandchildren too to worry about and yet they are not cowering and retreating but stepping up.

Two of the three self isolated and still do their job.

I may not agree with some of their ideologies and politics but who cares…what they have in common they have rallied around.

I love when reporter asked Doug Ford what he’s going to do to enforce social distancing.

His reply—‘Come on people….does it have to come to that?’

He actually believes that people are good at heart and will do the right thing.

Sadly that isn’t true but I am thanking God for these men and women staying at their post while we sleep relatively peacefully.

Lord, bless these men and women doing their best to guide our country. Give them peace, courage and wisdom to make good decisions for the common good. Amen

Last August I held 2 of my 7 grandchildren —Gianluca and Milia—so tightly, with not a concern.
These two physically affectionate grandkids hug like there’s no tomorrow.

Today they visited Nonno Luch and Nonna Rosetta with their daddy Vince. Not just to visit but to deliver something for our fight against covid-19 our beloved nurse Flavia wanted us and kids’ maternal grandparents Ioan and Elena to have.

The sad part is that although schooled by their parents not to get close and touch, they quickly unbuckled their belts to run to us but we had to shout lovingly 😢’NO, stay back Milia and Gianluca.’

The look in both sets of eyes broke me.

And out of love for us and them they stayed back.

And I could tell they too were reluctantly embracing a coronavirus world.

My son vince said it best as he saw this unfold as he said, What the F? under his breath.

Damn you coronavirus. I hate you and whoever and whatever sourced you. And we and all of us are finding a way to destroy you. It will not be without some tragic losses but I believe in the power of God and the ingenuity of humankind to defeat you, you who are a destroyer of all that is good.

Lastly, FU coronavirus.🥶

I will embrace my grandkids and kids and friends again someday.

In the meantime we will fight!!

Beautiful, timely piece by Father Richard Hendricks

Lockdown
by Fr. Richard Hendrick, OFM
March 13th 2020
Yes there is fear.
Yes there is isolation.
Yes there is panic buying.
Yes there is sickness.
Yes there is even death.
But,
They say that in Wuhan after so many years of noise
You can hear the birds again.
They say that after just a few weeks of quiet
The sky is no longer thick with fumes
But blue and grey and clear.
They say that in the streets of Assisi
People are singing to each other
across the empty squares,
keeping their windows open
so that those who are alone
may hear the sounds of family around them.
They say that a hotel in the West of Ireland
Is offering free meals and delivery to the housebound.
Today a young woman I know
is busy spreading fliers with her number
through the neighbourhood
So that the elders may have someone to call on.
Today Churches, Synagogues, Mosques and Temples
are preparing to welcome
and shelter the homeless, the sick, the weary
All over the world people are slowing down and reflecting
All over the world people are looking at their neighbours in a new way
All over the world people are waking up to a new reality
To how big we really are.
To how little control we really have.
To what really matters.
To Love.
So we pray and we remember that
Yes there is fear.
But there does not have to be hate.
Yes there is isolation.
But there does not have to be loneliness.
Yes there is panic buying.
But there does not have to be meanness.
Yes there is sickness.
But there does not have to be disease of the soul
Yes there is even death.
But there can always be a rebirth of love.
Wake to the choices you make as to how to live now.
Today, breathe.
Listen, behind the factory noises of your panic
The birds are singing again
The sky is clearing,
Spring is coming,
And we are always encompassed by Love.
Open the windows of your soul
And though you may not be able
to touch across the empty square,
Sing.