This is our current reality.

 

We Will Prevail

“I never doubted not only that I would get out, but also that I would prevail in the end and turn the experience into the defining event of my life, which, in retrospect, I would not trade.”

Admiral James Stockdale

          These words of James Stockdale, Navy Admiral held captive in a Vietnamese POW camp for 8 years, led to what is now called the “Stockdale Paradox” which states: “You must never confuse faith that you will prevail in the end—which you can never afford to lose—with the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they might be.” He encouraged us not to set unrealistic deadlines for future events, but also to keep the faith that they will eventually happen.

We have seen this paradox at work during the pandemic. In the beginning we had a “one and done” mentality. We would shut down for a few weeks, and the whole thing would blow over and we would resume life as usual. We made plans that had to be scrapped, and now a year later, we are still scrapping plans because of the pandemic. It has not blown over, and in fact, it has gotten far worse. There may be a vaccine soon, but most of us are looking at mid-2021 before it will be available to us—so, more scrapping of plans. These are the “brutal facts” of which James Stockdale spoke.

          The temptation to simply succumb to our fate is tempting, and many people have done just that. The rock music pounding forth from Avondale Brewery for the last couple of weekends has been proof-positive that crowds of revelers are ignoring mask ordinances and social distancing guidelines, in favor of partying hardy. Which is why there is a huge spike in cases in this area and many others. Thanksgiving is two weeks away, and many folks are throwing caution to the wind and heading home to celebrate with family. That means the week or so after Thanksgiving we will see yet another spike. And then there is Christmas…

          This is our current reality. We are in the throes of the Stockdale paradox—we cannot afford to give up hope, but we must deal sanely with the problems that confront us. Surely, if James Stockdale, and John McCain could survive years in a POW camp and then come home to live fruitful and productive lives dedicated to public service, we can follow their lead and reign in our frivolity for a few more months.

We will prevail in the end—at least those of us who survive this virus will. That is not in doubt. But we can also make a difference in our lives and in the lives of others by being willing to forgo the traditions of Thanksgiving and Christmas this year. Are we willing to do that? Do we love life enough to hang on for a while longer? We can still turn this god-awful pandemic into a defining event in our lives if we can bring ourselves to prevail in the face our current reality. Are we up to it? I hope so.

                                                  In the Spirit,

                                                  Jane