Life has become a movie.

These days life seems to resemble two different movies. The first is Groundhog Day in which every day is the same, nothing progresses and no matter what is done during the day, there is no effect on the next day.

For me, I get up, make the coffee, eat breakfast and read the news. (I still get the newspaper). I spray the counter tops. Then I go outside. I work in the yard, exercise for an hour, survey and clean up the garden for spring planting to come. Lunch, some more reading, house cleaning and a few projects here and there. An evening is a glass of wine, dinner, maybe watch a movie, and then bedtime reading and turn out the lights. Every day. I do not leave the property; have no contact with the outside world other than calling family to check in or reading message on my screen.

Yesterday, I was not sure what day of the week it was. I am not bored, not idle, not feeling sorry for myself, try to be productive but it is basically the same. It is similar to being on a treadmill but not going anywhere.

The second movie is “On the Beach”. After a global nuclear war, the residents of Australia who had been spared radiation due to prevailing winds must come to terms with the fact that all life will be destroyed in a matter of months.

The movie depicts the gradually erosion and break down of society, the courage of some and the hopeless for all. The end of the film shows an empty Melbourne street with a banner from the Salvation Army blowing in the wind. It is a haunting scene.

The reason this resonated with me is that a couple of days ago I drove into the District of Columbia from my home across the river to pick up mail at the Post Office box. A safe venture usually, as I double park, run in, and get the mail without seeing a person. It has become a bi-weekly mission.

Well, the famous Pennsylvania Ave going up to the majestic Capitol was deserted, no cars, trucks, buses, scooters, or bikes. No vehicles parked on the curbs. It was 10 o’clock in the morning. The only human presence was an old disabled man propelling his wheelchair down the middle of the street. Nothing to fear. The only thing missing was the banner from the movie saying, “ There is still time, Brother.”

Is there?