Dear Devon,
Happy day 19 on our beautiful planet Devon! A lot has been happening in the world the last 19 days. Typically 19 days go by and the world is somewhat quiet. 19 days passing and a worldwide event occuring is quite something. Yes, 19 days pass and there are always family and community events. 19 days in a family could bring about a birth — like yours!, a birthday, an anniversary, a trip, a night out to eat, even a relationship breakup or an illness. 19 days in a community could be a concert, a townhall meeting or a celebration — like St Patrick’s day! But right now, on March 24, 2020 the entire world is experiencing something — it is remarkable and unprecedented for most of us alive today.
At the very end of 2019 China let WHO (the World Health Organization) know about an unknown virus that had been causing some cases of pneumonia in Wuhan, a city of 11 million people in Hubei province. Although the UN puts its size as closer to 8.9 million there is no doubt, Wuhan is a very large city! I am hoping that by the time you are reading this Devon that we have visited New York city a few times. I hope we have visited the Central Park Zoo and skated at Wollman rink in the park, maybe even had lunch at Tavern on the Green. I know we like to think of New York city as the biggest city in the world — and it is very big but Wuhan has even more people. NYC in 2019 had 8.7 million people. And to make NYC seem even a little bit smaller, Wuhan is only the 7th largest city in China.
This virus traveled by people all over the world- it traveled quickly and silently. According to the BBC, the Wuhan airport handled 20 million passengers in 2016. It did not take much for the virus to get to almost every place on our planet. By this time, the virus had been identified as a novel coronavirus and named Covid19. People like to travel — for work, for visits, for vacations. I hope we do plenty of large family travels with your mom, dad, grandpa, aunts and uncles soon. Covid19 traveled with people and began making people sick far from it’s original source. People in Washington state became the first infected in our country. Then cases began to pop up in New York city and New Jersey — where you were born! You showed up right in time, before Mom had to go through labor without Dad or Grandma.
Because of our delayed response to dealing with Covid19 the virus spread pretty far and wide in our communities. We are starting to deal with the effects and the consequences of those decisions now. Many states are on a shelter in place or stay home order for most of their citizens. New York state and New Jersey are doing this. So, Mom and Dad are staying in the house with you! No one in, no one out.
Social distancing is something many families practice with a newborn in the house. Many do not bring 1 or 2 week old newborns to the grocery store or out in public for awhile. Mom and Dad would have certainly limited visitors to your house for a few weeks and those visiting would be asked to wash their hands or Purel before holding you! Now they are not even letting people in at all to see you and I am isolating myself for 14 days so I can come back to see you soon. You have not even been to the doctor’s office yet for a check up. Mom and Dad have a bathtub with a scale on it (love new technology) so they know you are now at a healthy 10 pounds 3 ounces. Clearly all this anxiety and ado is not really bothering you at all. Mom and Dad have taken you outside a few times for short walks, wary of any people that may be around. Not a great way to feel about other people.
This crisis makes not seeing you very difficult Devon. But I know everyone has a story to tell — everyone is going through some loss because of this. Some losses will be devastating, others will be annoyances. I feel so connected to life and it’s changing forces because of you little one. I hope this crisis becomes a gift in some small way to the world — so we can all see how connected we are to each other. I am eagerly awaiting the time when I can hold you again soon.
Will write again tomorrow! Love you Devon
