I see everyday an example of someone providing for someone. Resources being reallocated because another person needs them.
I see people taking carts through with items another might need. A mask, gloves, water, a snack, a meal.
Drop off sites for requested much needed items: masks, gloves, gowns. A place where items I have but want you to have.
We are telling each other, it’s okay that you aren’t having a good day. It’s okay that you aren’t having a mediocre day. It’s even okay that your day just down right sucked. We will try again tomorrow. We will get through this together.
Growth happens when life is painful, pain makes us stretch and seek outside that pain for hope. I wonder how long will we need to have these days so that we relearn to become a for you people? How long will we have terrible days so that we focus on the other to let myself thrive? They say 21 days makes a new habit. How long to make it stick? It seems 21 days isn’t enough time to make our behavior stick.
We are learning in new ways to appreciate another. We appreciate the teacher, because now we teach. We appreciate the grocery store employee because now we need them to provide and we see the exhaustive look on their face. We appreciate healthcare workers because they endure something we would never sign up to work in that kind of hell. But, that’s not hell, it’s their calling. They may be there because they once needed a job but when your day starts and your nurse needs six things from you, because she can’t, you now have purpose. It is now an opportunity of “For such a time as this “.
We appreciate even empathize those with young children, envy those with grown. Those with grown children envy those with young children, missing days gone by. The days of lazy at home to bond up with your sweet young boys, so you grasp for it now as young men who live near or with you. Taking in moments of opportunity to see who they are now.
We live without, so another can have. We don’t buy the flour, eggs, sugars, canned WIC approved item so it’s available for the person who only has access to that so she may feed her children tonight. We are learning how to cook together, sharing recipes, how to’s, giving a pat on the back for every meal attempted.
We are wearing masks because we care about you. We don’t want you to get sick. We give you space, to move about, realizing that I am not the only one here. We sit outside hospitals holding vigils for those who cannot be visited, hoping they know we are as close as we can get for those inside getting care they need.
I don’t know who we become after we have been through this. After not being with our loved ones , our parents, our children, our grandchildren, our neighbors, our friends, our boyfriend/girlfriend, and our coworkers, I wonder, will our love for others stick? Will we still do something for someone because they need it done and cannot do it? Do we stick with serving each other? Will we continue to ask for help? Will we continue to offer help?
I can only pray we do.
Carrie Hammer 