At first glance, COVID-19 hasn't changed life on the island where I live. Our population of 436 mostly robust senior citizens continues offline as usual. Many trudge well into their golden years despite the absence of a doctor, clinic or hospital nearby.
After the recently declared nationwide state of emergency, the only visible change is that more islanders wear masks to the grocery store or when boarding the ferry to the mainland. Islander-to-islander communication remains largely maskless. While the possibility of an outsider bringing the pandemic from the mainland remains a hot topic, most residents haven't altered the pulse of their regular routine.
Just the other morning while on an afternoon walk, I stopped to admire Mrs. Harada's vegetable garden. The 94-year-old woman decked out in a dirty pink smock, denim-colored baggy pants and white sneakers with velcro closures, nimbly walks up the steps from her garden to the road while carrying an empty tray in both hands. As she gets closer, I notice she has used a white sashiko stitch to attach sleeve guards to her thin padded jacket. She says she has just released 10 watermelon plants into the soil, and promises me one of the giant fruits when they're ripe.