It breaks my heart to see where we are today as the world navigates through this Corona Virus (COVID-19) pandemic. It has greatly impacted Open Hands Midway. On March 18, after discussion with my Board of Directors, we were forced to make the very difficult decision to close our meal program and food shelf down until further notice. To take away a resource for those who depend on it for meals, clothing, household goods, groceries and food shelf service was painful. We crafted a statement which we posted on our website at www.openhandsmidway.org and have updated it just today. The pain of all of this is isolation. Isolation from friends, family, community events, church, dinners in restaurants and sporting events to name a few. Routine is not routine anymore as we find new ways to cope, care for, advocate for and plan what is best for those served by Open Hands Midway and our loved ones.
As one who loves social gatherings and being with friends I am struggling. I have gone walking with a friend and we walk on opposite sides of the trail or in a single file line with much distance between us. I have had to resort to working from home when I can, which only lasts a day or two and then I reappear in my office as it is hard to take all of the things I need home with me.
My heart brakes for those who have been hit by this hard. Especially I think about our health care workers on the front lines wondering how to navigate it all without getting sick themselves. Those over age 70, a very vulnerable population, who are being advised to stay home, avoid unnecessary trips to stores and rely on others to help them. I think about the President, the Governors of each state, countless other authority figures who must make tough decisions about closing schools, businesses, restaurants, day care facilities and much more. There are many who find themselves out of a job discerning how they will provide for themselves or their families. Public transportation has cut back bus routes and light rail services. The news from the MDH, CDC and WHO change almost by the minute. Nightly news, the internet and daily papers tell the grim realities of more diagnosed, more who have died and complete states calling for 'shelter in place'.
And so we need to find some ways to cope, to laugh, to share, to pray, to care and to know that we have to do our best to combat this pandemic. As one who loves to provide laughs to my family and friends I think I will leave you with this visual. On a recent outing I spotted this sign...
If you know me, you know what I thought. If not, allow me to share. First my thought was we have had handicapped only parking, then parking for expectant mother and NOW this! I am so very grateful that I now know where to put my vacuum cleaner when I am not using it, I only hope others will follow as the last thing we all need is vacuum cleaners taking up unnecessary space in our homes, just sayin'...
AND not to leave you with just that one sign I saw this sign and wondered, 'are there FAST ones? Enjoy the laughs, stay home when you can and WASH YOUR HANDS, I will, just sayin'...
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