As I listen to the vitriol in the news and on Facebook about how angry these protesters are; I feel lucky and insulated that I live in Lisle. When I take my dogs for a walk in my neighborhood and I walk by my neighbors they smile and say hello andif the opportunity is there and we’re not too distant – but respectfully 6 feet apart – we will strike up a conversation checking on each other. This is my world and I am so happy that it IS my world.
But I worry about the communities where the people on social media are so angry and I hear these news reports and I see these communities I wonder are they ever going to come together and be able to help each other? I have begun a little campaign of my own to start calling out these reports and those who champion their causes: #NoEmpathy. It’s the only explanation I can come up with to explain why people can be so callous as to encourage anything that can and WILL cause harm to large populations of their communities, their neighbors and very likely even their families. I encourage you to join me and not let these people’s posts slide, call them out either with my hash tag or one of your making. Tell them to stop subscribing to conspiracy theories or challenge them to watch a few current episodes of the Rachel Maddow show; but do not let their ignorance in this case slide. It is a matter of life and death today.
I will always choose to look at the beauty around me and choose to be happy and think of ways to help my neighbors and help my community and build each other upand not tear each other down. I have a lot of empathy in me and I know that is why I will continue to follow the orders and stay at home/wear a mask and protect my neighbors and my community because I don’t know if I have Covid and no one knows if they have Covid unless they’ve been tested and we can’t get a test; so I’m going to do the right thing and I’m going to encourage others to do the right thing.
During my walks I’ve been snapping pictures to remind me that nature heals the earth, spring has sprung, nature is reborn every year and the pictures remind us that we too will overcome this disease. Enjoy the pictures, stay positive, and think of what you can do to help your community, trust me it does make you feel better and gives you a lighter heart; Sandy and I gave blood on Tuesday another thing thatdoes really make you feel better.
