According to the scratches I've been making on the walls of my cage, I mean home, we've been on lock-down or “pause” as we're calling it, for 22 days.

But, of course, I joke. We are blessed in so many ways. We are staying inside our homes with loved ones, and we have plenty of food (and toilet paper!) so far.

The most glorious part of this stay-at-home experience has been the time I have been able to spend with my six-year-old granddaughter Adeline. She and I do her lessons together and then we have time to play outside games like Mother-May-I and Wiffle ball and inside games like Shut the Box and Too Many Monkeys.

I know that we are the fortunate ones. I can't imagine the stress that is being felt by all the people who are essential workers (and their families) during this crisis, from all the healthcare workers to supermarket employees to delivery people to postal workers to the journalists and so many more. We can never thank all of you enough for your bravery and sacrifice.

Our job is staying home. It's really not that complicated.

I can remember my Grandma Stabbert telling me about the Spanish influenza that ravaged the country when she was a young woman. Born in 1901, she was in her late teens during that epidemic. She recalled that the theater in her hometown was converted into a hospital to accommodate all who had fallen ill with the flu. We are seeing similar things happening all over our country right now as Americans work to meet the challenges that Covid-19 has created.

We have survived a flu pandemic before and we can do it again. We will succeed in overcoming this virus eventually but let us hope that we will remember at least some of the lessons it has to teach us.

For one, we should remember that to fail to prepare is to prepare to fail. ‘Nuff said. Secondly, it's always a good idea to listen to the scientists. They have spent their lives studying these things using the scientific method, not relying on their gut instincts. They know whereof they speak. And finally, we should remember the Golden Rule and do unto others as we would have them do unto us.

Good luck, everyone. Stay safe!