What's the worst that can happen?

That phrase is what Norman Vincent Peale once suggested that people going through a scary situation should ask themselves:  What's the worst that can happen?

When Cliff was out of work for an extended time many years ago, we discussed that scenario and felt better about things.  At that time, the worst that could happen would have been that we could lose our home: the kids were grown and no longer with us, so we only had to worry about ourselves; just the two of us, but we had one another and liked one another.  We agreed that we probably wouldn't starve to death, so the worst thing that might happen at that time was we'd lose our place.  But we could start over, settle into a different home, even live in town if it became necessary.  Cliff was trying hard to find a job, with no luck, but as long as we had one another, we'd manage somehow.  Knowing what the worst was made us feel better and we got through it.

The phrase "what's the worst that can happen" doesn't make me feel better about the pandemic at all, because there are many worst-case scenarios I can conjure up, depending on how long it lasts.  I'm sure it bothers all of us that we don't know how long this thing is going to last, which means we can't see a light at the end of the tunnel.  We like knowing, don't we?  We can handle it if it doesn't last too long, right?

I go out of my way not to think about that, but it's hard.  I wonder what things will be like when it's over.  How many companies will close permanently?  How many jobs can exist after being closed down for months?  They're printing up money like crazy;  inflation can already be seen in the grocery store prices.  Will the high prices stick around when the pandemic is over?  Will there be no funds for Social Security?  Will we all lose our homes?

I wonder if all the rich people will be poor, so we could all be poor together: That sounds nice, but from the hoarding that's already going on, I don't see us all sitting around singing "Kumbaya" together when things get real.  

When I allow myself to worry a bit, those are the things I go over in my mind.

No matter how long it lasts or how bad it gets, though, there will be good things come out of this unique time.  I will appreciate my freedom to go to church, or to get in the car with Cliff and go to a grocery store safely.  I will remember to appreciate my relatives who are willing to go shopping for me in order to keep the two of us safe at home.  I will always appreciate the fact I have my husband here to keep me company through the "social distancing" phase of this.  

And if, by some stretch of the imagination, we ALL have to start over because we are ALL poor, let me paraphrase something my Uncle Leo said:  If someone were to take all the money in the world and divide it up equally among the entire population, in one year the same people who were rich before will have most of their money back.

For now, I'll settle down, take a deep breath, and hang on, because it's going to be a wild ride.