At the end of the Houston Shelter in Place? A post for those of us with no hot takes!

This is the first day that many “non-essential” businesses in Houston are open. The shelter in place order has expired.

What to do?

My rule in this pandemic continues. Opine about nothing on which I have no expertise. Support what my God-given authorities tell me to do: bishop, governor, president. Take the advice of experts when there is a consensus. Everyone thinks we should wash our hands. Most think a face mask does some good in some situations. Hand shaking is out. There is a goodly list.

What of the end of the shelter in place?

Friends disagree about the wisdom of the Texas “shelter in place” order and the prudence of gradually lifting some restrictions. People I know who know things disagree. I do not know enough to have an opinion, being neither a medical doctor nor an economist. As an academic, I have friends who are well informed and they do not agree about what should be done.

So the old rules, sane and sensible, learned from my grandparents apply. Work hard. Pray without ceasing. Heed the experts, but realize experts are not always right.

I will keep working from home, since I can and that is what I have been requested to do by the government. Given that I live across the street from the College and School, I have been there almost every day. Some friends worry that the end of shelter in place puts their health and even lives at risk. Simultaneously, I am glad for my friends who can go back to work, are thrilled, and were suffering mightily in the shut down. They too will follow all the social distancing and cleanliness guidelines we have been given.

All the folks I personally know are trying to be ethical, safe, and sane. Here is hoping Texas is doing the right things, going slowly enough for safety and fast enough for our sanity. Are we?

I do not know. If you think you do, make a careful argument based on what you know, your training, and experience. Be kind. This is a complicated time: plague times always are. Kindness, especially charity to motives of our neighbors, is the first thing to go when things go bad in times such as these. That is why for the duration, continuing for now, I have stopped debating, normally a good thing, and doubled down on finding ways to make common cause and do acts of kindness.

The experts must debate. Citizens must do our duty in as kind a manner as possible. In November, we will have an election and by then the rest of us, the non-experts, those not in government, will have to decide on the decisions that were made. We study the results and calmly, kindly vote our conscience.

This is not “click-bait” or a hot take. I only bother to say these things, because most people I know working hard, trying to listen, being kind, do not have places to speak.

We all will do our duty, work hard, and pray that this pandemic ends. We will do acts of kindness, calm and carrying on the Constantine strategy. 

God save the Republic and God save Texas.