This has been a week.

Last weekend, Franklin Graham and several thousands of the faithful, convened on Washington, D.C, for a peaceful prayer march. It wasn’t a political rally in support of the president (out loud), nor was it to pray for the destruction of the Democratic party and all its minions (out loud). Instead, the capital was flooded with prayers for the health of our nation.

Now, honestly, as a resident of the DMV, we didn’t hear much about it. I don’t even know that local networks gave it more than a mention. So that was good—in that nothing untoward went down worthy of news coverage. Prayers were prayed and everyone went their ways. But by Tuesday the worst debate in the history of American politics took place, Proud Boys were recognized and put on alert, and then—hold on to your hats, toupees, wigs, weaves, whatever—Donald and Melania Trump tested positive for COVID!

So, I had to wonder. Is God trying to say something?

I won’t attempt to weigh in on what God has in mind. That’s way, way, way, above my mental capacity. But it is just a little bit interesting, right? I mean, I’m not trying to connect dots or anything. I’ll leave that to conspiracy theorists far more skilled than I am.

But let’s talk about the president and first lady down for the count with coronavirus. First, I need to go on record as saying I don’t wish death and destruction upon the Trumps. I just want them to go away. So, I’m not laughing at him, shrieking “I told you so!” or reveling in the utter confusion that must have taken over Trump supporters who say the pandemic is a hoax.

But the irony, right?

So here’s why I think this might be a good thing. Could it be that Trump getting sick might be a turning point for the Covid-19 pandemic in the United States? The president and his lack of mask-wearing, poo-pooing the advice and counsel of scientists and the blessed Dr. Fauci, downplaying the seriousness of the infection, putting the economy and a false image of a well and powerful America ahead of the lives of actual Americans (over 200,000 of whom are no longer with us), has caused the type of division and dangerous behavior that has not helped us beat this mess.

His faithful followers, many of whom live in rural areas where they have not come face to face with Covid-19, have declared this whole thing a made-up story. It’s sort of like a kid covering their eyes and thinking because they don’t see you, you can’t see them. “Trump doesn’t wear a mask and has no problem with getting up close and personal with people. Well hey! That’s good enough for us!

Except now, COVID is having the last laugh. Donald Trump is sick (physically in this context) and his age puts him in a high-risk area. People his age have contracted this and went down, very, very quickly. And that’s not a made-up story, now is it?

With Dear Leader positive for COVID, perhaps the following might happen:

1. We get country-wide participation in wearing masks in public. Because the hoax theory has been blown.
2. People finally get that social distancing is important.
3. Hand-washing and better hygiene is more of a priority
4. The fake news that Covid-19 is nothing more than a cold is finally put to bed.

If the president comes through this with a mild form of it, good for him. But he will experience side effects such as extra fatigue and the possibility of the lingering inability to taste and smell McDonald’s’ food. The horror!

I’m sure his team of doctors is dosing him with all the remedies (that aren’t drinking bleach and hydroxychloroquine alone), to make a miraculous recovery and push the story that his bout with Covid-19 was no big deal.

But the truth is out there and you can’t take it back: Trump has COVID. It is real. He didn’t follow the protocols and now he’s sick.

Let’s hope this results in a lesson learned for the doubters among us so that maybe, just maybe, we can all come together and beat this thing. Because death doesn’t care if you are Republican or Democrat.

Also, wear your freaking masks!