Trying Times Bring Out the Best in our Communities

A
s I thought about what to write about this month, it seemed almost trite to talk about
politics as usual.  That is not to say that there are not things to talk about, as our legislative session, oil prices, and our current international health crisis provide more than enough fodder.  However, with so many of us in a state of uncertainty, I want to do what many others have and use this experience as a learning tool.
The COVID-19 virus certainly serves as a reminder to all of us that we have less control of our world than we thought.  What initially seemed like a distant disease without any real immediate impact in the United States suddenly had a very real impact here.  The United States now has over twice as many confirmed cases as any other country, causing businesses and public services nationwide to close their doors.  We are being asked to isolate ourselves to prevent the spread of a disease that many may unknowingly already have.  Record numbers of people are seeking unemployment benefits and we do not know when the
necessary precautions will end.  People are sick and some have died.  To say it is a scary time is an understatement.
However, in trying times we see the best (and the worst) of people.  I cannot count how many instances I have seen of people being generous of their time and resources to help those around them.  I have seen everything from people taking it upon themselves to make deliveries to at-risk neighbors to others waiving or suspending rent payments for those who lost their sources of income due to social distancing.  Seeing the steps people have taken to help those around them in this time of need restores some of the faith that we can easily lose in each other.  In normal times, it is easy to see those around us as “others,” whether that be other faiths, other political persuasions, or any number of divisors.  It is reassuring to see that when a true crisis hits, we still see one another as fellow humans in need of assistance.  Let us hope that one of the lasting impacts of this virus is a renewed sense that everyone has a shared experience as members of humanity.  We have differences, but those should not override our commonalities.
It is also reassuring to see that we are still capable of great innovation when the need arises.  The speed with which conditions changed was shocking to many of us.  Businesses had to figure out how to keep operating in new conditions that only days before they had never
contemplated.  While the nature of some businesses has made it impossible to keep their doors open during the duration of the virus protocols, many others have found new ways to keep providing service to their customers.  The same goes for those providing essential government or nonprofit services.  Teachers have had to figure out how to provide remote instruction to elementary students, even though few have had any training or experience in it.  
The Courts and public servants have continued to operate, although with different protocols.  Everywhere we look, we see that we have hardship and loss, but many are rising to the occasion.  I suspect that when this is over, many businesses and public entities will have discovered new capabilities and efficiencies that may help them down the road.
This unprecedented time has given rise to a renewed spirit of community and resilience.  There is no question that many within our
communities will be hurt because of this virus.  However, I believe that, having come through the
hardship, we will emerge stronger.  We will have a renewed sense of community, a more vivid reminder that we are together more than we are “other,” and we will have hopefully developed some innovations that may provide a silver lining to some of the hardships we will endure.  Our challenge when this is over will be to keep the goodwill, community mindset, and spirit of innovation going after the immediate danger is over.  If we can do that, we just may emerge from this stronger than when we started.