It concerns me that so many people are being interviewed by the media and posting on social media with their 'complaints' on how there aren't enough test kits for the coronavirus; how the government hasn't acted quick enough; how the travel rules have caused them to cancel their vacation plans; and, it goes on and on. The needs for immediate responses on all situations makes me wonder if our instant gratification society has produced a population that just doesn't understand that things take time. It also takes me to the thought that perhaps these are people raised on 'Bewitched' and 'I Dream of Jeannie'; and later 'Sabrina, the Teen-age Witch', and of course, Harry Potter. Well, folks, those are all make believe, one cannot simply blink an eye, nod the head, or wave a wand and one's needs are before you. It just doesn't happen that way. So, let's look at this situation in a different light. Let's go step by step and see what an amazing time in which we live. First of all, I'm grateful for worldwide communications that brought us the information of other countries so that we knew there was a new virus that was affecting people. And, later, the communications allowed us to know how quickly and widespread the virus was going through the world. Which, amazingly, was another sign of our times, because air travel was the way that most of those affected by the virus was taking it from one country to another. Second, I am grateful for doctors and nurses that recognized that this was a new virus; and, yet, staying on the job to treat those who were in need of the skills and talent. Third, I am grateful for the scientists began to dissect the virus to figure out what it was, how it worked, and what would ease it's symptoms. I'm grateful for the companies that had the equipment for the scientists to use to develop a test for the virus. I'm grateful for the lab technicians that took those tests and began to test the test so that it could be produced for the mass market. I'm grateful for the companies that produced the components of the tests; and for their employees, who are only human and can only work so fast, yet, they know and understand the importance of their work and even though it might be a hardship for them stay at work. Fourth, I am grateful for government leaders that bring companies together to lay out a plan to get the test kits to the mass markets. I am grateful for companies that give of their facilities to aid in the public to be able to get the test kits. I am grateful for shipping companies that can literally move the completed test kits to where they need to be, literally overnight. Fifth, I am grateful for stores that are trying to keep items stocked and closing down their stores in order to restock and sanitize the stores. I am grateful to their employees who are working as fast as they physically can to keep shelves stocked, and sanitized. I am grateful for the railroad employees and the truck drivers that are moving the items to where they need to be; as quickly as humanly possible to do so. Sixth, I am grateful for the silly lady that dressed up in a cape and gloves and walked through a local mall to present laughter and sanitizer to the people in the mall. I am grateful for the police department that did a music video of their staff washing their hands, complete with comedic relief. I am grateful for those who have the talent to make meme's that bring laughter to our days, but especially for the one of the children with their hands tied and their mouths taped while Mom was working on the computer in the background. Seventh, I am grateful for teachers who are trying to put together worksheet kits for their students who do not have access to the internet so that they don't get so far behind while school is out. I am grateful for the cafeteria workers that are still coming in to prepare meals that are being given out to the children who were on the free breakfast and lunch programs. I am grateful to the bus drivers who drove those meals on their usual routes to meet the children to hand out those meals. I am grateful to online companies that are providing free access to online meetings to teachers. I am grateful to educational companies and museums that are doing free instruction on line for the teachers to refer to their students. I am grateful to the employers that understand that mom and dad need to be at home to make sure home schooling happens, so they allow them to do remote work. Eighth, I am grateful to the restaurant owners that are providing meals to families that have parents out of work because their jobs closed. I am grateful to airlines and cruises that are giving vouchers or refunds to those who had booked trips that are now cancelled. I am grateful to the fast food restaurant that showed up a hospital with 1000 meals for the health care workers. I am grateful to the companies that have promised their employees that even though they cannot come to work, they will still get paid. I am grateful for the government that is preparing to financially assist workers whose companies are not large enough to provide payroll while closed. I am grateful to the NBA player that did a video of himself in his home dressed in his uniform and being announced out on the 'court', his humor eased frustrations. I am grateful to the actor and his wife who contracted the virus and quickly let people know hoping that his notoriety would ease panic about contracting the virus. Ninth, I am grateful for the people who are smiling along the way. I am grateful for the Italians that escaped to the balconies of their apartments and sang together. I am grateful for the person that helped the elderly gentleman who couldn't afford the expensive food choice, so the person behind him in line purchased it for him. I am grateful for our society today that gives us so many options that was not available in the past. Yellow fever epidemics were so widespread that the city of Memphis TN was quarantined completely and still lost so much of their population that they lost their city charter. The plague in England spread so fast that mass graves were used. We are no where near these extreme situations, and for that I am truly grateful. Tenth, I am grateful for the handful of opposing party governors that are praising the administration's response for their states. I am grateful for media that allows the national task force of experts to be able to provide daily updates. I am grateful for peace of mind. We truly have so much for which to be thankful. We need to look toward gratitude for what has happened.
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Carolyn Bendall"After years of teaching people how to develop their 'outside' image; we realized the 'inner image' need just as much work. Let's take this journey together!" Archives
August 2022
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