COVID-19: The Aftermath

The Pandemic ended not with a bang but a whimper, although the virus continues its attack on mankind, sickening many since the initial deadly surge. While we shut ourselves in our homes, it somehow slipped through the cracks in our walls and took our friends and family.

Deaths that affected me directly:
March 2020: Allen Merrill, a good friend, was the first I heard of. Allen was a songwriter and rock icon who wrote the song “I Love Rock’n Roll,” which Pat Benatar made famous.
April 2020: My beloved Mother died on the first day of Passover, and her brother, my brilliant Uncle Melvin, died on the last day, 8 days apart.
August 2020: Melvin’s wife, my beautiful Aunt Hellen, who just couldn’t live without her childhood sweetheart.

I’ve heard many stories of loss, and not just due to sickness. Many dojos closed. Many Karateka stopped practicing. Many older sensei passed away during that brutal year.

Politics got ugly with our commander in chief scoffing at masks and vaccines while the Health Dept offered very little in proper guidance. We became confused and ended up divided. A sad time in America indeed.

So over the next few years, we unlocked our doors, picked ourselves up, and began life again, changed but full of hope. Through it all, the One World Dojo marched on, continuing our practice and strengthening our social bonds.

Today, the OWD continues to spread through online classes, after-school programs for children, and for adults at Active Studios NYC in Manhattan. We continue to practice, learn, share, and build our resiliency and perseverance.

And as is our custom at OWD, all are welcome.