I look back at Grand Lodge and think about first hearing how close Corona was to us in Jackson. I didn’t have respect for it yet . We went back to work and after a couple of weeks we got shut down for 5 or 6 weeks. I still was not concerned about it .
July 6 came. I was feeling bad. I went and got tested and I was positive. I was lucky, though. I got to go home but I got put in a room by myself. No more seeing my wife, my family, and my brothers.
The first week I couldn’t breathe good. I couldn’t eat. At times it was all I could do to get out of my bed and walk 15 feet to my bathroom and back without feeling like I was not going to catch my breath. I would be so tired from just that walk that I would go to sleep for couple hours.
I am 40 years old I’m not a spring chicken but by no means am I old. I could still get out and work in a garden and my job and love it.
Then this hit me and I couldn’t do anything for myself. This is my second week. I’m starting to feel better, just tired all the time. I’m still in my room. Still no family. I learned to respect this virus in this two weeks.
I want to explain what it does to your family.
My wife had to go buy a air mattress so she would have somewhere to sleep. She had to sanitize all her stuff to move in the other bathroom. She, for two weeks, has to share a bathroom with two young men, our 17 year old and 21 yr old . My 17 year old is getting ready for his senior year of football and has to sit home from practice for two weeks. Thay can’t go anywhere. This virus affects the person with it but it affects a lot more people, too.
In closing I want to say if I could go back in time talk to myself,I would go back to Grand Lodge and tell myself to respect this virus. It is not a joke. It is very real. I hear folks talk about masks, how people that wear them are sheep. I thought the same before. Now, if I can keep anyone from getting it by wearing my mask, I’m happy. I did my job as a Mason and a friend.
Respectfully
BJ Barfield Jr P.M.
