By Brian Mickelson – March 20, 2020
I’ve been observing the humans again. Social distancing makes that a little tougher to do (without being creepy).
In fact, this COVID-19 is making a lot of things tougher to do and it is kind of wearing on people. But if you keep your eyes open, you’re going to see some really, really, good things and people.
Here is a very incomplete list:
-So many teachers who are trying to keep my children moving forward in their education
-All those providing breakfasts and lunches every day for the kids in the school district
-Bus drivers who are driving breakfasts and lunches to each bus stop
-The endless list of people who continually offer to grocery shop for seniors
-All the people who stayed six feet away from us but smiled and greeted us on the trail up Logan Canyon
-The people who just keep stocking and stocking and stocking grocery store shelves
-Truck drivers, showing up over and over with store goods
-Businesses that are finding ways to pay employees even when there is little work to do
-Local government entities staying in constant communication with citizens but doing it in balanced, measured, positive ways
-Siblings keeping each other company and making the best of the extra family time
-People checking on their parents and neighbors
-Maintenance crews wiping down every surface, every day, knowing they’ll be doing it again and again
-Hospital workers gearing up for the unknown with just a mask and latex gloves between them and getting sick
-Kids who are losing a season of a sport they love, but who are doing push-ups, squats, and planks each night, alone, anyway
-High schoolers smiling through a much-altered and disappointing senior year
-Government leaders trying to solve macro problems surrounded by endless opinions about the right way to do so
-Parents who just became teachers, principals, nurses, referees, computer tech specialists, cooks, and public health specialists, all while trying to get to their employment, stay healthy, and sleep a little
-The teenager who offered to anyone in town to babysit, for free, if neighboring parents needed help
-Special mention to Disney for putting Frozen 2 out early. It wasn’t that big a deal but our family liked it
This is everyone’s first time in these circumstances and we’re doing pretty well - considering the novelty and the uncertainty. Of course, there are people ignoring the safety of others in exchange for personal freedom and people who are trying to take advantage of others politically or financially.
There are extreme, unrealistic views and voices on both sides. Do what you can to ignore or “snooze” or “unfollow” those voices.
More importantly, there are a lot of people to express gratitude to. Keep doing what works.
We’ve found ourselves in a hole, but we’ve stopped the digging. And we’re reaching out to each other (even with six feet between each of us) and lifting.
There’s going to come a moment when this set of circumstances passes and we’ll be able to take inventory of how we did as a nation, a community, and as individuals.
Today’s decisions and attitudes will determine how we feel about ourselves in the coming weeks and months.