Is the Cost Greater Than the Cure?

 “If the treatment kills the cancer, but also the patient...it defeats the purpose.”

Yesterday I wrote those words thinking it was a witty way to show the wisdom of reopening the country...with caution, of course. I was talking about the economy, about America getting back to work. Important, yes. But nothing compared to what I was about to hear.

Before the ink dried on those words, a message from a friend said, her step son, who was fighting the invisible enemy of addiction, who was in recovery, however, his life-support—his recovery group meetings—had been canceled due to COVID-19. Without that lifeline, the pain to keep on breathing became unbearable, he just couldn’t hold on any longer, he let go…and took his life.   

This one precious life, this one beautiful soul, is far too many, and represents a multitude we have yet to hear about.  This is a sliver of the cost, being greater than the cure.

Why are Recovery Centers closed? If anything is essential, they are. They can do what it takes to stay safe, better, than any Walmart or Home Depo, patron or worker.    

Suicide, help hotline calls soar over coronavirus anxieties

During March 2020, the Disaster Distress Helpline saw a 338 percent increase in call volume compared with February 2020.

Counselors are reporting a number of calls related to the pandemic, including about social isolation.

To choose what’s safe over what’s morally right…is a disgrace. Founding father, Alexander Hamilton said: 

 “A nation which can prefer disgrace to danger, is prepared for a master, and deserves one.”

Thankfully, we don’t need to abandon one to gain the other. We can be safe and do what’s right. We must.

Up north we don’t sit home in the winter just because it’s cold. We bundle up, move mountains of snow and keep America moving, by getting the kids to school and ourselves to work.

Down south when a hurricane is on the way, we board up, stock up, hunker down and track her movements. After it’s over we pick up and clean up and keep on going.

We have hunkered down and bundled up and tracked her movements. We’ve washed our hands, kept our space and stopped touching our face. By the grace of God and working together, we’ve caused this virus to tuck tail and run…at least a little.   

Now’s the time for triage. You see, COVID-19 brought a cartel. We’re bleeding in more than one place.

No war is won by fear. Avoiding confrontation with the enemy won’t make him forget his evil ways and go away. Whether it be a virus of body or soul.

If we wait until it’s safe, we’ll never leave the house. Ever. And even that’s not safe; there could be a fire, a thief, and most-likely a heart-attack—from fear.

We the people must stand up and do what we know in our hearts to be morally right. How do we want to be remembered in this crisis? Heroes or cowards? We answer to a higher call.

If having a meeting is what is needed to recover a life, then, a meeting we must have. Because it’s right.

No law can stop it.

Is it dangerous? Yes.

Will it take a lot of energy and effort? No doubt.

Might we run into conflict with big brother? Perhaps.

But his life, your life, our life, our freedom to do what is right, is worth the risk, worth the cost. To do nothing will cost more, much more, than the cure.

Furthermore, we can maintain our guard, take precautions and measures to protect our national treasure, our silver haired seniors with their store house full of experience and wisdom. But the quarantine is killing them—because they live to see their kids.

It goes without saying that the quarantine is killing our economy. We don’t need more blood; we need it to start moving. We don’t need more money, we need commerce.  

There’s only one group that lusts after an atrophied economy. It’s strange to think that there are those who want the country to be in an endless civil war. They create chaos, feed fear. They like inflated death tolls. I know, it’s sick to think it; sounds like a conspiracy theory to say it…but it’s true. There are those who would gladly trade our freedom for the soup kitchen of welfare and socialism, they tell us to sit down and shut up and hide out and just let the government feed us and clothe us and take all the weight and all the blame. They'd like us to choose fear, disgrace...so they can be our masters.

Remember, the stimulus was only meant to resuscitate our economy back to life, not create a coddled, entitlement minded people in need of weaning. 

That is why we the people of America, must get back to work. We will work smart, face danger with courage and strength, but we must get out of the house and put our hand to the plow. There’s more to living than just trying to avoid dying.

These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

Jesus said those words on the most stressful night of His life here on this earth. Hours before He was betrayed by one friend, deserted by the rest of them. Mocked, lied about, spit upon, stripped, scourged, beaten...crucified. Yet, for you, for me, He endured the cross, for the joy He knew was just beyond the old rugged cross, on the other side of a rolled away rock...a chance to see you and me, together, with Him, forever and ever.

Dear friend, it may feel like it, but you're not alone. If you are struggling, reach out, there will be a hand to help, to hold, social distancing or not, you are loved. 


Doug Spurling
dougspurling@aol.com

PREVENTS seeks to change the culture surrounding mental health and suicide prevention. Together, we can prevent suicide among Veterans and all Americans.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, please call 1-800-273-8255, Veterans press 1. 

https://www.facebook.com/weareprevents/

Samaritans Hope

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 1-800-273-TALK (8255)

National Alliance on Mental Illness – 1-800-950-NAMI (6264)

New Hope Telephone Counseling Center – 1-714-NEW-HOPE (639-4673)

SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)

Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program – 1-800-273-TALK (8255)