Keep pushing on even when 'Stuck in a Moment'
“I’m not afraid of anything in this world … There’s nothing you can throw at me … That I haven’t already heard.”
Those are the opening lines of the U2 song “Stuck in a Moment You Can’t Get Out Of.”
It feels like the story of my life right. The story of all of our lives.
News of the ongoing coronavirus affecting us in Lincoln Parish began March 6 when Lincoln Parish School Superintendent Mike Milstead canceled all nonessential out-of-state field trips for March and April.
Three days later, the first presumptive coronavirus case was reported in Louisiana.
That was three weeks ago. It feels like three months. Or maybe a year.
For the Ruston Daily Leader, it’s brought a “best of times, worst of times” kind of attitude or ideology.
Personally, this moment all of Lincoln Parish, Louisiana and our nation as a whole are living in right now is the kind of moment I live for. These are the days I know I’m doing what I need to do. What I am meant to do.
Yet admittedly, if I stop and think about the reality of it for too long, it’s at times almost overwhelming.
But I realize that’s the way all of us feel right now. Seeing grocery shelves empty at times, and not being able to sit down at a restaurant to eat, feels surreal. But it also makes me admire those grocery store workers, just as I admire the restaurant employees who continue working for us all, even if that world we’re now living in is a “take-out world” of social distancing,with no handshakes or hugs. I also have much admiration for our health care workers here in Lincoln Parish, literally on the front lines of one of the more important battles any of us have seen in our lives, and our Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies delivering to our residents 60 years of age or older.
And through it all, lyrics from the U2 song keep floating in and out of my mind — “You’ve got to get yourself together … You’ve got stuck in a moment … And now you can’t get out of it.”
But the thing is, we aren’t really stuck — we can keep moving forward — we can keep pushing on. And we are. Yes, many if not most Lincoln Parish residents are “stuck” in their houses following the “stay at home order” issued by Gov. John Bel Edwards on March 22.
But for those who still have to drive around the city at times, you see people social distancing but you can also see family out in their yards or taking walks, sharing togetherness even if they’re not holding hands.
They’re pushing on through these temporarily changed times just as we all are, and will continue doing so. Our parish governmental bodies, like our schools, are moving forward by using or preparing to use phone and video conferencing.
The Ruston Daily Leader is pushing on, too. Times have changed for us all, so I encourage anyone and everyone in Lincoln Parish to email us or call us with any and all news that our parish residents need to or should know.
These are critical times. As I said earlier, the kind of times I — and the rest of the Leader staff — live for.
Help us help you. Stay safe … and “Ruston Strong."
T. Scott Boatright is editor of the Ruston Daily Leader. Contact him at scott@rustonleader.com.
