Editor’s note: Karen Harris Tully is a writer who lives in Raymond and has agreed to keep a journal to share with Daily World readers during the odd and uncertain time we’re all navigating.

Dear Journal:

Today was Easter. It was a beautiful day and I was trying to figure out what to write about. Playing Pokemon Go around town with my son? Planting raspberries from a neighbor with my daughter? Our home Easter egg hunt? But this other topic kept itching at my mind. I’m not a super churchy person, but I had to ask God to help guide my words, to help me figure out what to say. So, here goes.

It was Easter and I cooked a big meal, probably too big. The only hams left at the store were enormous. We cleaned up the house that had not had a single visitor in weeks. Seriously, it was a wreck. And Mike’s parents came for dinner.

Now before anyone goes casting any stones in the comments section, they only live a few blocks away and we’ve been quarantining together, our small family group. The kids still go to Grandma and Grandpa’s two afternoons a week, the only place they’ve been at all. Still, some people would have harsh words for us.

There’s a lot of anger, a lot of judgment going around, but are any of us perfect in this quarantine? There’s probably someone, but I admit it’s not me. I think most of us are trying our best, and it may look different in each family. The words that keep coming to mind are not the Easter story, but Jesus’s words, “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.” And these words, that I can’t seem to shake, to “do our best, and live in empathy.” Oof, living in empathy. That’s hard.

I’ve heard about folks being lambasted at the grocery store for having too much in their carts, only to find out they were buying for six families with immunocompromised members, or the local backpack program for kids. A picture online may be worth a thousand words, but are they the right words? Does the picture tell the whole story?

I keep seeing, hearing, and yes, sometimes participating in the current anger against people in some way doing this quarantine wrong, or not taking it seriously enough. Truth? There have been times recently that I’ve had trouble keeping the faith, that I’ve had to get myself back on board. We’ve had very few cases of Covid-19 locally and my family and I live in Pacific County, which only claims one now, I think. Quarantine is important to keep the numbers low so people can get medical care when they need it, but if people are having trouble getting or staying on board, I get it.

There’s no ending to this story, it’s a work in progress. Maybe together we can write some empathy into it. Stay tuned …

Song of the day: Hallelujah, Leonard Cohen

Karen Harris Tully is a novelist living in Raymond with her husband and two small children. She writes sci-fi/fantasy for teens and adults and can be found at www.karenharristully.com.

Karen Harris Tully