I can only imagine the hardships that many people face with the COVID-19 pandemic. The fear, uncertainty, loss, pain, and death. Normal life flipped almost in a day when shelter-in-place orders rippled through the United States to slow the spread of the disease. It’s eerily parallel to the movie Contagion or Outbreak. Even a zombie apocalypse.
The news media paints a bleak future ahead, as well as other medical and scientific projections. However, one of Mr. Rogers’ quotes comes to mind.
When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.”
Mr. Rogers
God bless the medical professional, wise leaders in government, and essential business workers who have provide for everyone else during an unprecedented time of disruption. My hopes that our collective shelter-in-place efforts have helped slow the spread of the disease and avoided a worse reality where we ignored the problem.
I’ve also been encouraged to see how many others have helped in their own way or in new ways.
John Krasinski started Some Good News videos from his own home to give smaller but positive stories a spotlight. He’s a writer/director probably most famous for his act in T.V. series The Office but I know him more as a director/actor from the movie A Quiet Place and Amazon series Jack Ryan.
My workplace is using our 3D printer to help in printing out protective masks for our medical personnel. They are also planning strategically to weather the financial collapse for small businesses and avoid laying off people for as long as possible. They have always been generous and people-focused.
I’ve read stories of teachers driving through neighborhoods where their students live and let them know that they are missed in a socially distanced manner. I’m grateful that schools have also been able to provide meals for students who rely on school for food.
Our local and state government has been helping provide oversight to protect lives. I’m glad their focus has been for life over capitalism. They have to consider many different needs and be strong in making difficult decisions.
I have hope that we will get through this. Seeing people be socially distance in public is not a sign of fear of contracting the disease, but to respectfully follow an order from our government. I had doubts that our nation of independents could respond so collectively, but I’m glad to be wrong.
In the weeks and months ahead, I will continue to have hope from heaven and looking for helpers everywhere on Earth.