Isn’t life funny? The timing of it all really. We all had hopes and dreams for 2020; a trip to Europe, weddings, birthdays, movie premieres. We had plans of a much more mundane nature too. Going on a picnic, or to work, or to school. And then something else happened instead.

My family is, as I write this, 30 days into our isolation. Due to an illness and a few other intervening events, our’s started a little more than a week earlier than the rest of California. My wife and I had seen the writing on the wall though. We had been following as other nations confronted a new reality; corona virus was coming. We made sure that we did a heavier than expected grocery run, we made sure we had what we needed for the next little bit. I assumed we were overreacting and being overly cautious. I was wrong.

Our story now is no different than those of people in Paris or London or San Francisco. It probably is a little different than some people’s story in Lombardy, New York, or Seattle. We have food, we are able to go out for walks, and, most importantly, we are all healthy. The people I know are currently healthy. But if the first three months of this year have proven anything, it is that things can change very quickly.

Case in point, my last two places of employment, everyone is just…not working. Disneyland Cast Members are furloughed as of April 19th; I can’t even imagine how they are feeling. I know when I was working there, this would have wrecked any savings I had. Apple employees are not working for a while, and while some are being offered at home positions temporarily, many are just not working.

In my case, I am fortunate to have a job that is currently in demand and has stayed busy. My wife has been less fortunate; she is in allied health and her industry is currently being recommended to practice social distancing. She’s closed her office and canceled clients; most likely this is the end of her business for the time being. The future is a strange place.

I don’t think this is the 2020 we expected. In a world that many see as divided and divisive, as ill-prepared and ill-equiped, a world still reeling from events to many to mention, a different story may exist just under the surface. From Italy to New York, London to Seatle, San Franciso to Tokyo, we are in this together. Never has the world shared a singluar focus like this. The world is sharing in this moment together.

From my family to yours, stay safe, be well. And good luck. We are in this fight together…even if we are staying six feet apart.