Separate But Not Alone

So, it’s the first day of spring and it sure doesn’t feel like it. It’s rainy and cold. There is a sense of urgency in the air. Supermarket shelves are bare of necessities and there are police at Costco for crowd control. Schools are closed and parents who have kids in college are scrambling to get them on flights home in case there is a travel ban within the United States. It’s just so strange and scary and overwhelming! People who can work remotely, and also have children, will have to be home-school teachers and workers. Restaurants and bars are closed, as are amusement parks and other tourist attractions. People are hoarding toilet paper. It’s toilet paper for goodness’ sake!

Stop for a moment. Take a few deep breaths. Instead of only focusing on the scary things, let’s take a moment for gratitude. We have a support network of family and friends who can be reached by phone and video chat. You probably have tons of shows in your DVR or Netflix queue that you’ve been meaning to watch. Hopefully you also have a list of good books that you might be able to find time to read now. Maybe there’s a recipe that you’ve been meaning to try. Well, now you can and dinner prep can become a family experience.  

I know people are saying that it’s going to get worse before it gets better. That’s the key point. It will get better. We, as a society, can control how much worse it gets. Let’s do what we can to make sure first responders have what they need to take care of the rest of us. Let’s make sure the kids who depend on school lunches get what they need. Let’s do what we can to slow the spread.

Suddenly, the sun is out and birds are chirping. The rain has stopped and the ground slowly dries. We got through the rain and are in the sunshine again. Humanity will get through this pandemic and we will be stronger and smarter for it. In the meantime, remember, we may be separate, but not alone.