Unprecedented

By August or early September each year, I find it hard to listen to the radio. The hit "songs of the summer" seem to be in steady rotation on every station as they play what seems like the same four songs over and over again. I just get tired of it. That same thing has happened to me now with the word "unprecedented." This adjective has found its way into almost every conversation over the past few months. Whether people discuss the virus itself, or the many other social issues going on right now during the pandemic, the term "unprecedented" seems to find it's way into the conversation. What I've noticed is that people are using it to justify an action or inaction because we don't really know how to respond to things right now. The claim is that we don't really have a clear path because we have never been here before. 

Maybe I'm unsettled because the history teacher in me scoffs just a little at the use of this term right now. The 1918 flu pandemic presented our nation with some of the very same medical, social, and political challenges that we are seeing today. By definition, that means today's situation isn't "unprecedented." This event is just new to us as individuals and people have a very tough time learning from history as well. In 1918, school systems nationwide struggled with the decision to open or remain closed. Several larger systems like New York and Chicago did decide to open because they felt that children were safer and more sanitary at school than at home or on the streets. Those schools that opened had students wear cloth masks. Schools had nurses and worked with local health departments to symptom-check and isolate students. Students were not allowed to crowd outside of the schools but had to report directly to their teachers each day. Despite their efforts, the absentee rates at schools were out of control. If all of this sounds familiar, then we are not living in unprecedented times at all. 

I don't make this point to compare COVID-19 to the flu or to debate language usage or history with those that probably know a lot more about it than I do. My point in the observation is that we made it through 1918. We returned to normal lives, we prospered again, we grew and forgot all about that "unprecedented" time. You all are doing such an amazing job, and while you're tired from the new requirements that we face, you're learning skills and pushing boundaries that we didn't necessarily have to do before. And while the problems of handling our situation today seem difficult and without an end right now, we will make it through again.