Reflection and Hope

This week I conclude my service as a county board member. It has been such a privilege to serve the people of my county, both in a time of peace and in a time of crisis, and the lessons I have learned are invaluable. We are approaching the year mark for when the pandemic started – some sources suggest we are already there. Over the past year, my many roles in our community (citizen, nurse, politician, Board of Health, disaster response team, military officer, etc.) have come into painful conflict with one another. I have no idea how someone like me, an intentional peace maker and someone who avoids conflict, became a politician, except that I wanted to serve. Needless to say, this was a challenging position and, especially over the past year, it has forced me to really analyze my newly conflicted views and to make logical sense of this seemingly upside-down world.

When I ran for election, my platform was that I wanted to advocate for the health of our county – economically, physically, and mentally. Ironically, all three of those things have not only been significantly threatened, but have seemingly come into direct conflict with one another. The truth is, these are not issues that we can separate. Instead of attempting to value one above the other, we need to find balance to achieve all three. Governmental policies implemented to combat this virus will have a significant impact on our lives, for better or worse, and are beyond the scope of this post. But even with political considerations, I guarantee you the greatest impact on our society and recovery will come from how individual citizens interact and behave toward one another.

I encourage everyone to take a step back from the metrics and the politics and take a look around. Even before the pandemic, people all around you were hurting and in need. These needs still exist, with new suffering from a pandemic on top of it. The list of losses is extensive, from loss of jobs, to loss of social contact, to the loss of health and the lives of loved ones. The past year has been a shock to our sense of security and freedom as individuals, but also as communities and a nation. This deadly virus has come and settled in, challenging every aspect of our lives as we know it.

Yet, we do not have to passively take a back seat and watch the conflict unfold through the media. We can take action today to be a positive influence on our community. If you are healthy, and are advocating an open economy, use your freedom to carefully serve others by dropping off groceries, volunteering at a food pantry, or giving financially to someone you know in need. Safely visit local businesses, using drive-thru or carry-out options when you can. If you are vulnerable or are advocating for shut-down, use your time at home to connect with others via the internet or telephone. Just hearing your voice or seeing your image can make a huge difference for someone who is struggling or feeling disconnected. Everyone can be proactive in protecting the health of others by wearing a mask when in close proximity, socially distancing when you can, especially if you cannot (or choose not to) wear a mask, and washing your hands frequently. In all circumstances, be kind to one another. Guess what? You can disagree with contact tracing and still be courteous and respectful to health department workers when they call. You can disagree with restaurants being open without shaming those who desperately need the income to literally feed and clothe their children. Use your voice to respectfully influence political leaders, corporations, public health policy makers, and hospital administrators. Use your actions to kindly care for one another. Balance, kindness, respect. We will get through this. You can be a part of the solution.