Sunday Gratitude, Sponsored by Covid-19

This morning, as I took my regularly scheduled third Sunday shower, I thought about all the images of grocery store shelves wiped out.  I thought about all the memes calling out those hoarding groceries, and saying ugly things about fellow human beings who are afraid.

Later that same day, this was posted on our community Facebook group.

So much concern and generosity, right here on my little street.

Since then, I’ve been keeping an eye out for the good news.  I don’t mean the news that the virus has been defeated, though we should all be praying for that.  I mean that I have been looking for stories that demonstrate the good that I have seen.  They are out there:

And this one:

There are athletes and team owners who are paying the salaries of arena employees.  People are getting their meals from small businesses to help them stay open.

There is Dr. Gagliardi, my primary care doctor, who gave me an appointment before the office was officially open, so that I could see him before the office was crowded with sick people.
There is the former student of mine who is now a teacher and being expected to teach from a distance without warning.  I have many friends who are teachers and most of them are doing this.  But this particular teacher realized that many of her students have no internet access at home.  So she braved the busybody buttinskis at Kinko’s to make copies of materials to deliver to her students who would otherwise have no opportunity for school from home.  (Did I mention that she’s a former student?)  I’ve seen people volunteering to sew hospital masks to make up for the shortage.   I’ve seen multiple organizations and private individuals who have created content to keep us entertained in some form or another, while we’re all quarantined.

This is the America that I know.  This is what we need to remember.

Even the most reasonable person has to acknowledge that this is a scary time.   I count my blessings that my anxiety is well-manged, because if this had happened 30 years ago, I probably would have literally worried myself to death.  So be compassionate of those who are buying in panic.  As so many have said, this could be our shining moment.  After so much ugliness over the past few years, let’s not look for more reasons to be ugly.  Let us look for the positives.  Let us love our neighbors, especially those who are afraid.

Just be sure to keep six feet between you.   Be well.