Glimpses

The drama and tension continues in our government and the numbers of COVID hospitalizations and deaths soar. We are all looking for signs to reassure us that “this too shall pass.” I’ve noticed over the last week that there are frequent Facebook posts of images of rainbows, cardinals, eagles, and sunrises — like the photo above that I shot this morning. The Facebook posts are often accompanied by encouraging messages urging each other to have faith, hold on, believe.

I see the recent actions in Washington to hold people accountable for the siege on our Capitol and to put an end to incendiary communication, as hopeful signs that our country can heal. I was also encouraged yesterday by the announcement that the government will release more of the vaccine, drop the age of eligibility to 65 and assure production for second doses. On a personal level this week, a daughter-in-law and sister-in-law have appointments for their vaccines, as they both work in schools. Two friends in Texas received their first dose this week, along with several of their neighbors. Our grandson, who is a pharmacy tech in Arizona, received his first shot yesterday. Things are happening to move us forward and I find even simple actions hopeful.

We have been in a state of collective grief as a nation for too long. People react to grief in many different ways including denial, anger, fear, sadness and depression. I’ve cycled through all of them…sometimes in the course of a single day! Although it’s healthy to acknowledge what we are feeling, there comes a time to move from feeling to doing. It’s difficult to make that shift when the source of grief is outside of your individual control. The way out of a collective grief is collective action. I see glimpses of hope and a renewed energy for all of us in this week’s events. I know that I will feel a rush of hope when I’m able to take a simple step and make an appointment for my vaccine.

Small steps forward in a long way to go, but we are moving. I hope you feel the shift, too. Have faith.