It's Always Darkest Before the Dawn

Scenes, where people fight over rolls of toilet paper or hand sanitizer in a shopping store, seem to be playing out throughout the country in what amounts to desperate attempts to stockpile basic necessities. No one wins.

This is a time when communities shine their brightest when they support every member. This follows the sentiment of founding father John Dickinson in 1768 who said, "United we stand, divided we fall."

Our mental fortitude is our strongest defense, and that can be shored up with the strongest energy in existence, love. I find two quotes from Sir Winston Churchill in 1942 during World War II quite relevant to our mental fortitude and perspective:

Do not let us speak of darker days; let us rather speak of sterner days. These are not dark days, these are great days – the greatest days that our country has ever lived; and we must all thank God that we have been allowed, each of us according to our stations to play a part in making these days memorable in the history of our race.

 and

This is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning. 

Let us all take heart from Churchill's words and know that, as Abraham Lincoln said, "This too shall pass." 

These times offer an opportunity to bring loved ones closer and enable us to more greatly appreciate what is special in our lives. No longer will we take for granted our elderly parent who is now considered at higher risk or our spouse who might have had a pre-existing condition. 

I feel the best offense is a good defense. This implies following basic protocols for hygiene to help prevent the spread of the virus (just like in cold season), such as washing your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water for over twenty seconds, washing your hands with hand sanitizer, covering your mouth with your arm when you sneeze or cough, not touching your face/eyes/mouth with your hands, drinking plenty of fluids, taking loads of vitamin C and Zinc an so forth. Follow whatever protocols have been established by local, national, and international authorities, including the CDC and the WHO. 

While there may be a sense of panic, fear, and high tension, the most important thing we can all do is help each other in this hour of need. Some of our senior citizens may need basic necessities like food, toilet paper, pantry items or just a helping hand for things around the house. This is a time when we should all be a good neighbor and follow what Jesus said, "Love your neighbor as yourself."