Humanity is suffering… but there are heroes and heroines everywhere…

A woman, a young woman once, then a mother, then a grandmother, then a great- grandmother, in her 90’s, opened her heart once more: “Give the ventilator to someone younger.”

A young mother of three and a nurse, continued to work at the hospital to save lives… she lost hers…

A young man, only 28, worked at a senior care facility…they elderly needed him… then one day, he came home to his Mother, and died in her arms…

The daycare teacher, watching over the children of those working in the hospital… developed a fever…the “invisible stalker” took her away…

The ambulance driver, father of two, drove the sick to the clinic…he never made it home again…

The grandfather, having given the best years of his life, nurturing, loving, providing for his family, his children, his grandchildren… was suddenly among the stars…

The First-Responder, working 14 hour days…using his mask over and over again, no gloves available…collapsed…leaving his earthly home…

The doctor, working non-stop, overcome with fatigue…succumbed to the fever…went into a coma…never to return

The hospital receptionist, checking people in, exposed daily to the beast…slumped over at the coffee table… never to lift her head again…

REST in PEACE … you did the “ hard thing”— you didn’t turn away when another asked for your help…

I know we should be upbeat… positive…be grateful we are still breathing… but at the same time I am feeling like death is staring me in the face…I cannot imagine the terror so many people who have died must have faced alone on the ventilators. The absolute terror their families experience…the pain of not being able to be there in the final moments for the people they love so deeply. Then not even permitted to mourn them in our usual manner…I post jokes now and then… songs & poetry now and then…in an effort to rise above the sorrow…this is just an incredible challenge to our human spirit. It very much emphasizes how much we truly need one another. When I first retired… it was a mini-version of this experience that we are going through collectively now. Some days I did not know if I would make it to the next…I needed purpose. I think this experience is not only a message for the Now—- but when it is over—- and one day it will be better—we need to remember the elderly who do live alone… the people who are isolated from society… the Homeless who feel displaced and unwanted…the parents whose children have gone on to live their lives—- it is a message to STAY CONNECTED! What we experience here among the elderly is a common thread throughout the world—- I have read many stories of people in other countries who end up in senior citizen apartments, beautifully designed—-as in Japan—serene landscaping—- but guess what? They die alone—one lady mentioned she has no one but managed to make a connection with a lady in another apartment across the courtyard. They don’t seem to really be able to visit, perhaps because of mobility issues— but she did create a somber message:”…If my window shade does not go up in the morning, you will know I have died. Please contact my family.” Imagine that is their only communication! When this pandemic takes a rest, please let us all remember to Reach Out and Stay Connected! We all need each other! …and, it also wouldn’t hurt to connect NOW with those alone!