A Time for Compassion

Last weekend, I took the dog for a walk. We walked around the neighborhood as we normally do, taking in the sounds of the birds and the sparkling daffodils after the rain. Close to the end of our walk, we met a friend, out walking her dog too, and stopped to chat.

We happened to stop in front of another friend's house. She came out on her step and we chatted. As we moved to the next house, yet another friend came out onto her front porch and we chatted some more. Some about the state of the world, mostly just to connect with good friends and reassure each other that we're not alone.

As the world news is dominated by COVID-19, we all wonder what this will mean for us. Us in the individual sense, and also us as a community. We have been advised to practice social distancing, stay home as much as possible, and work online.

To stay healthy as a community, we need to strike the balance between continuing to support our local businesses and making choices that are safely aligned with national, state and global recommendations. This is not an easy choice. We need to find ways to connect with one another, while still staying safe and heeding the warnings.