Hi Everyone,
I hope you and your family are safe and in good spirits as we begin to navigate into some semblance of life as we know it. Somehow though, I don’t think anything will be back to normal again. Life has changed, and the way we see the world has changed. I have to admit, this has been one of the most challenging things I’ve experienced and it’s left me struggling to find light at the end of a very long tunnel. I’m also deeply concerned about the lack of kindness and compassion that I’m witnessing from society in general. It breaks my heart to watch what appears to be total lack of empathy for others. Where’s your heart America? How can a pandemic that is killing thousands of our citizens become a political circus?
Just the other day, my neighbor, an elderly gentleman that I have known for years stopped to chat. He began talking about the pandemic. He spoke of the ridiculousness of it all. The more he spoke, the angrier he got, and the closer he edged his way toward me as I stood in my yard listening to him rant. I remained calm and communicated that based on what I’ve seen, and though I respected his opinion, that Covid-19 is very much a real thing and that we must err on the side of caution. He became irate when I didn’t share his opinion. I was taken back by the anger that was smoldering inside of him, cauterizing his heart. I wasn’t afraid, just simply confused as to what would cause this gentle soul that I had known for so long to become this person I know longer recognized. He continued to advance, throwing out negative rhetoric like a Gatling gun. I finally had to ask him to step back.
Here’s the sad thing, it fundamentally changed our relationship. I still see him from time to time when he walks the neighborhood, but the smile I use to automatically flash when I would see him coming, has now been replaced with guarded measure. It may sound silly, but I somehow felt betrayed, like trust had been broken and a line had been crossed. I will continue to be cordial and practice kindness. But I’m afraid a piece of my heart has also be cauterized. We gotta do better America. Less anger, more compassion. I don’t know about you all, but I’m just damn exhausted by all of it.
Stay safe everyone!
