March has been an incredible, life-altering month for us as Americans and as a world. Our generation is experiencing depravation, isolation, and fear that we haven’t experienced or collectively experienced in a long time. We see people squandering and hoarding resources yet we also see people carrying on in the bravest of ways.

It was the best of times. It was the worst of times.

It makes my heart sing when I see people behaving in the best of times mode. These are the “helpers” as Mr. Rogers would say. 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 willing to help.

Look for the helpers.

I keep hearing about small acts of kindnesses and help. In our beach town, there is a group of children who will ride their bikes to the store to pick up much needed items for their self-quarantined shut-in neighbors. One of the moms rides with them.

I heard of a similar type of helping of apartment building neighbors near New Rochelle, NY. Many of the elderly neighbors do not have access to the internet and so cannot order groceries online. They leave a list out for their neighbors and others in the building will pick up what is needed.

On the social media neighborhood accounts, there are numerous offers to help others, reminders of people to look out for others, sharing resources and information and even specific inquiries about the whereabouts of “resident” homeless persons.

While this pandemic is currently devastating and will continue to be ( for we do not even know what life will look like in the weeks, months and even years ahead), there has been some surprising societal side-effects:

I have heard from many friends and neighbors that they are surprised that the stay-at-home edict is seen as a welcome. They are welcoming this slower paced lifestyle. Many have said that they have gone from an almost difficult to read, packed with writing, full calendar to one with scratched out and blank, empty spaces in the blink of a news conference. I know that my husband and I are wondering about our time management or lack thereof. Our Jan, Feb, March monthly calendar blocks were almost solidly black with written- in appointments, meetings, and deadlines. Our April calendar looks like it came out of the wrapper- the only entries are the factory printed ones: Palm Sunday, Good Friday, Passover, Easter, National Arbor Day.

There has been time to do the “rainy day projects”- renamed “pandemic projects.” Many folks are finally getting to the clean out and clean up of clutter. They are sprucing up gardens and yards. They are prioritizing the material things in their homes.

I have heard of others who have decided to daily contact someone from their community (apartment building, condo, neighborhood, extended circle of friends) to see how they are doing and to offer a little chat. For me, it is reminiscent of my great-Aunt who, in her nineties and being primarily home-bound, took it upon herself to call the “shut-ins” from her church to check in with them, offer a kind word and listening ear and to pray for them. How fortunate we are to have many forms of technology that we can do so.

There is a greater appreciation of being in one another’s physical presence and the longing for touch. Even the introverts seem to agree that there is a missed sense of belonging when one cannot physically gather.

This might be the time to resurrect the snail mail. When one cannot touch a person, there is something to be said for a hand-written letter- knowing that the person who wrote the note physically touched the paper, etc. While video chats are great, letters can be reread and held- a paper chain of touch.

It is wonderful to see families walking, jogging or bicycling together. I realize the novelty of all being home 24/7 may wear out in another week or so, but I wonder if families will settle into a different and new pattern of appreciation of being together? I have a neighbor who thinks divorce rates will increase after this settles down, but I wonder if some marriages will be strengthened instead- maybe without all the extraneous distractions, people will remember why they fell in love with their spouse in the first place.

I have noticed that when I have gone to the grocery store there is not the frenetic atmosphere that usually persists. People are still scrambling to get provisions, but it is almost as if everyone has finally recognized that this is for the long haul and no store is going to have the same stock as pre-pandemic stock. While there is a prevailing hush and people are mindful on one another- social distancing, there are conversations occurring down the aisles. I have heard people catching up with each other about the status of family and friends. I have also seen and heard shoppers be very appreciative to the grocery workers, saying a thank you, morning pleasantry or just looking them in the eye and recognizing them- perhaps for the first time. Of course, in moving through the store, some shoppers will smile at each other while others are head down as if the contagion is spread through the glimpse of an iris.

It sure is sad that it takes something of this magnitude for us to realize that we do need one another and that our survival depends on one another.

What about you? What have you noticed about the people around you? Have you seen any helpers? What creative ways have you seen others coming together - with the appropriate social distance?

One thing I thought we could do as an encouraging community is to offer an encouraging word or picture each day- something on which we can meditate, think, ponder, focus. Something that might take our minds off of the current situation at least for the moment, I will (try) post everyday for the month of April. Just a short snippet of inspiration (hopefully) which we will title: Words and Pictures. [If you haven’t seen the film by the same name- free with ads on Youtube. An okay film (after more weeks sequestered it might seem like a masterpiece) depicting 2 teachers- one Art and one English and a competition between the two with students deciding if painting or literature is the best.]

* Come Together. “Bum bum, dodadoo. do. Bum bum. dodadoo. do” (Best attempt to write out the sound of the base line to the beginning of the song.) During my stay-at-home, I have been spring cleaning to Paul McCartney radio on Pandora. The Beatles song, Come Together has been circulating in my head.