 It has been no less than a trying year for many people. Amazingly, I can make this representation without having anyone suggesting that I am exaggerating. Much of what occurred in this past year has left many feeling like our nation became a house divided. As the world rose to the challenge of battling a remarkably communicable virus, mechanisms used to combat this disease left us reeling. Restrictions purportedly designed to protect essentially eclipsed freedoms. Tensions mounted. Stress levels soared. Our true enemy, the fear Gremlin, crept out of the shadows and trounced on the hope Sprite. Without an understanding of when things would change, when businesses and schools would reopen, when we would be able to visit our loved ones, fear and distrust took hold.
When the fear Gremlin takes over, a cauldron of negative emotions simmers just below the surface. Judgments are clouded. Responses are sharp and cutting. People act before they think. In 2020, media outlets covered what felt like a never-ending cycle of fear Gremlin behavior. Then, the page turned. Vaccines became available. Hope rose. At Mach speed, we left 2020 in the rear view mirror. Citizens of the United States breathed a collective sigh. Where do we go from here? How can we repair the wounds opened by this abysmal virus? As a first step, I suggest that we take a moment to recognize that one truth unites us: this virus cataclysmically altered all of our lives. No one escaped unscathed. Everyone lost something. If we take a moment to recognize this, if we take a moment to understand that each of us experienced unimaginable sequelae from this virus, that we, the people, all had to rise to this challenge, perhaps we can allow the healing process to begin. So, where do we start? How to we begin to heal? Perhaps we can start by communicating respectfully. When listening, each of us must focus on the words spoken so the intended meaning can be analyzed and understood. When responding, providing a reasoned and metered reply serves two critical purposes: it sets a tone of respect that can foster continued dialogue, and it reflects a willingness to engage in a thoughtful debate. In a democracy, one is not required to have the opinion of another. Thankfully, we live in a country where this freedom is more than a concept, it is a tenet. Our forefathers carefully articulated this right within the First Article of the United States Constitution. Remembering this fact should serve to remind us that we, as a nation, are blessed. What others yearn for, we have as an inalienable right. Did our collective communication gap occur entirely because of this virus? Arguably, the answer to that question is no. Discord has certainly risen since the 2016 election of former President Trump. Many will debate who holds responsibility for this fracture in our ability to communicate. I suspect no one will win the argument. What we can do is move past this stalemate by deciding to communicate respectfully, no matter where you stand politically. As we all know, it takes only a moment for skin to be cut, and it takes much longer for that cut to heal. During the healing process, the skin may throb; the site may become infected. Eventually, from the inside out, the skin knits. This virus cut our skin, causing pain and triggering raw emotional responses. Changes in the political landscape prompted us to figuratively cut each other’s skin. Thankfully, we are on the path to recovery. But, much like the body’s healing process, emotional healing cannot be rushed. Time, patience and vigilance are required. We, the people of the United States of America, can do this. Over time, and with all due vigilance, let us exercise the virtue of patience each time we listen and respond to one another, no matter upon what side of the aisle we stand.
2 Comments
Three years ago today, I lost a dear friend - Kristin Petrie Rocha - to cancer. After a prolonged battle with breast cancer, she passed away at the all-too-young age of 47. I wrote this poem for her shortly after she died. As we welcome in a New Year with prayers for good heath, happiness and a global shift towards better days, may we also remember those from our past who made life wonderful. ODE TO A PEACH There once was a girl we called Peach Who didn’t live too far down the street. She was short, this is true; And her eyes, they were blue. Indeed, she was one you wanted to meet. From Martin Place in Manhasset she did hail. Child of Pete and Rosemary. Mo, Jeanne, Jim and Mike Enhanced the delight Of her tortured grammar school and teenage years. We met as kids, not more than 5. By 13, we hit our stride. So much fun we did have, Laughing endlessly, never mad, Along with a few others, we became the Hen Pride. Many years she lived in New York City. Some nights were not too pretty. Drunky Monkey arrived, Made us all feel quite alive, Although the next day we all felt pretty shi**y. In the day, she was teacher extraordinaire, Leading the kindergarteners with great flair. Antics in her class Made us all laugh. You simply wished you were sitting right there. Time marched on, our lives did weave Different paths, off she would leave With her love from the North She found her stride, she walked forth Selfishly, many did grieve. Love and marriage brought two great kids; Keegan and Emma, fixed on our grid. Many smiles they did bring, Along with laughter, and other things. ‘Twas a mother’s love that could never be hid. Amongst these many great joys She had too many an “Oy.” Meeting challenges with grace, She defied the whole human race Battling cancer with the strength of a boy. She left this earth entirely too soon Making so many feel stranded on the moon. The high road she did take, Singularly, she did make Many feel that they’d lost their tune. In this life, you meet a few Who are honest and loyal, too. Friends like that are unique, The kind of people you should seek As they will always be tried and true. You are sorely missed by many, Peach. Until we meet again.  According to Random House Dictionary, the prefix “un” is defined as “giving negative or opposite force.” Adding this prefix to a noun or a verb, an adjective or an adverb, results in a meaning that is the reverse of its root.
Understanding the definition of this prefix, and in light of the circumstances in which we find ourselves, what “un” work would you use to describe this year to date? I can think of a few. Let me start with unprecedented. In our lifetimes, as a society, we have never been called to live the way we are living now. Because of this unimaginable pandemic, with the goal of slowing the spread of COVID-19, we have been asked to follow these almost untenable rules: stay home; wear masks in public; close unessential businesses; quarantine for two weeks if exposed to an infected individual; don’t congregate in groups. It all seems so unreal. Because of this confinement, because of this restriction on our liberties, because of the impact on our mental and fiscal welfare, people have protested. Most of these protests have proceeded peacefully. However, in the wake of peaceful demonstrations, unbelievable actions unrelated to the protest of our civil liberties have occurred. Businesses have been looted and destroyed; citizens have been injured; the uninformed and uncaring mob has ruled. Some have simply become unglued. Undoubtedly, change is necessary. How we get there is the challenge. Perhaps we can start down the better path if we changed our collective tone. What if we started using a few other “un” words? Here are a few that come to mind: united; union; unless; universal; understand. Below are a few excerpts from documents and speeches in which these words have been used:
Resolution of conflict requires careful navigation. Acting civilly and remaining open to dialogue is critical. New pathways will be constructed if, universally, we work to mend the rifts and repair what has been broken. There is one more “un” word that I would add to this list. Mythical in its origin, its appearance in literature and lore is meant to evoke hope and joy, to shed light where darkness has fallen. Perhaps the imagery associated with unicorns is just what we need right now. |
