I mean look no one is happy about the uptick in cases around here, but what, am I gonna be mad at people who have been on edge for 10 weeks going to the only place where they can maybe see some friends and try their best to keep some distance??

I mean maybe google your local park instead of going to the big obvious one?

That was bad phrasing on my part, because it suggests you can’t be mad at those folks, which you most certainly can. I’m sorry to suggest otherwise. I think closer to what I meant to say is: for me, my life is better when I start at a place of empathy at the frustrating thing.

The frustrating thing here isn’t their desire to gather, it’s their choosing to overlook the distancing guidelines, and maybe there’s a world where they (we!) can gather safely in bigger parks with more spaces between us, and not just in the one park those folks want to be in.

The place of empathy for me just means keeping in mind that yes, they did an incredibly irresponsible thing, and also keeping in mind that some people have fewer coping tools than others. You can be both angry and reaching for an understanding.

I’ll stop belabouring this and end it: I guess I’m most uncomfortable with the need to label them all assholes. Some of them are being flagrantly careless. Some of them aren’t making enough effort. And some of them are trying to both be near friends and keep distance.