Dear Friend,
Just some rambling thoughts this time.
I was talking to a friend recently and I mentioned something that stuck with me, namely that I think one of the problems we're having with people going a bit crazy over COVID is that so many people in the U.S. (and other countries, I'm sure) are addicted to entertainment. It is actually "the drug of choice" for many people. I admit that I have to examine myself when I say this because I enjoy a good read and some videos myself at times. These are things that are available at home as much as anywhere. But there are many people who feel compelled to go out somewhere to do something to be entertained. Whether it's eating out, going to a movie, participating in sports, shopping, going to a specific place to be seen, or whatever else, there are many ways people seek entertainment outside their homes.
When my grandpa was a boy their neighbors would sometimes sneak up to their back door, open it, and push a large tub of pop corn through. Then they would walk around to the front door and knock. When someone answered the door they would say they had come over to play games. They knew my grandpa's family was poor (his father was dead) and so they thoughtfully made sure to provide the "refreshments" for the evening. My grandpa remembered those times with genuine fondness. I wonder how many people sit down with neighbors to play games now - not their own specific friends, but their neighbors. A few, I'm sure. But, the need for something more exciting is there for a lot of people. This would be far too tame and "boring."
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