Last week David’s Refuge hosted a “Happy Hour” on Zoom. Several staff members and a few moms joined together just to remind each other that we are not alone. As I sipped my pomegranate kombucha and listened to the moms share what daily life is like without school, aids, physical therapists, visits from family members, or respite services like David’s Refuge my heart broke. I tried to imagine what it would have been like if David were still alive and we were caring for him and our other two boys. I was immediately struck with an overwhelming sense of isolation. This, of course, creates anxiety, fear, exhaustion, and even hopelessness. We were created to be in community with others. The Coronavirus has stolen that from us.
Today my oldest son, David’s big brother, Chris wrote a Facebook post that I felt was powerful. He too was struck with the devastating effects of isolation and social distancing. He wrote,
Woke up this morning realizing that this trapped, isolated feeling is just daily life for a huge number of people. The elderly, some people living with a disability, the severely immunocompromised, folks living in a culture who experience a language barrier everyday, caregivers for kids with special needs, all of them live with a permanent level of isolation and social distance.
When this is all over we all have a responsibility to remember that it actually isn’t over for everyone.
When this is all over we will all be better equipped to reach out to them safely if physical contact endangers them.
When this is all over we’ll all be able to empathize in a more real and concrete way. #connect
So here is my question, what can we do better “When this all over?” How can we better remind you that you are not alone, what you do matters, and God and your community love you? As Chris wrote, how can we help and “empathize in a more real and concrete way?” I want to know and I am sure many others do as well.
This will end! But until then, when this is all over, help us know what we can do better.