Reading is great but maybe not so much on the same thread during a pandemic. For me there is less ‘interesting’ news from the US about the change in leadership, so I got back into the pandemic. This era is the new normal and I believe we will not ‘go back’ into what was the ‘before time’. There is so much possible, but we have to be strong. As much as you may not know your neighbour, they are in it with you too.

Please stop blaming others it does not work. And when you look at it, they did not unleash the virus, so please stop trying to make something complex into a simple rotten tomato over the fence. Everyone is in this together so we need to cut ourselves a bit of slack here. No, extremes are not permitted. We will not bring back the guillotine for walking the wrong way down a supermarket isle but a light tasering as you pass is also not appropriate. Come on people, this is not personal.

I have heard and endured and probably contributed to some of the ill feelings. Many people may internalize their grief in having done something they know better than to do, don’t pile it on if this is the case. If someone is not taking it safely enough, then given them a kind reminder like letting a small amount of air out of their tire, just enough that they need a top up before they can take any trip with ease. We all need to make sure that we are learning how to act like better people during this difficult time. Remember, the future becomes what we do today. We all need to take a collective breath. I suggested to someone today (in a high stress position) that if you need to stop by and scream into a paper bag just let me know. I will give you the bag, you scream into it, we will then tie it shut and jump on it; pop. Maybe we could scream into the bag and put a candle on it (helping the grief and hot air rise) to make a balloon out of it; watch it float away with our collective or personal angst.

This is not easy but we can all do better at caring for each other. We can be more intentional with our thinking and our voice. We can cut someone some slack more often, it does not hurt. Maybe you will even learn the first name of your neighbour and find out that they are the winger you need to complete your lineup.