in which covid-19 accomplishes what revolution, unexplained plane crashes, and terrorism could not

I've never cancelled a trip because of external circumstances. Until now.

In 1994, we were heading to Mexico -- to travel through the country, not to stay in a resort -- when revolution broke out in the state of Chiapas. We went anyway.

In 2001, we were booked on a flight to Ireland, two months after September 11, and less than 24 hours after a plane crashed immediately after takeoff from the same NYC airport. We went anyway.

In 2017, we were finally going to Egypt, when a bomb went off in a Cairo church. We went anyway.

In about a month from now, we were to take a road trip with our dogs, to visit family and friends in Oregon and California. We've cancelled.

Travel in the US seems ill-advised right now, even more so because we would be seeing my 88-year-old mother who already has respiratory issues. What if were exposed to the coronavirus and then infected her?

It was a simple decision, yet such a painful one. I am so disappointed! I haven't seen my west-coast nieces and nephews and their partners, and my grand-niece, in several years. This trip also included my dear friend who lives in L.A., who I haven't seen in 10 years, and her wife, who I have not yet met. It also included a Red Sox game -- which of course has been cancelled anyway.

We've decided to travel only to see family and friends, at least for a few years. (It is killing me to see these old posts with the comments missing!) So there's the travel aspect of this too. I'm missing this trip on many levels.

And yeah, when it comes to a global pandemic, my travel plans are the quintessential #LeastImportantThing. But when it comes to my own life, this is a huge disappointment.

Where this is going, especially what it will look like in the US, where millions of people cannot afford health care, is frightening to contemplate.

In Canada, we are intent on flattening that curve. And while we all have basic health care here -- no small difference -- we do not all have paid sick leave. The pandemic is the stark illustration of why mandates that protect workers protect everyone.

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