Combating Coronavirus with Kindness
When I was a kid, there was a certain intersection at the edge of town that everyone agreed was dangerous. No traffic light, not even a stop sign. It was only a matter of time, people thought, until tragedy would strike.
And they were right. A mother driving her children was killed by another motorist, a teenager who attended the same school as hers.
Then, only then, were the stop signs placed.
Hardly a new occurrence then, and definitely not a new modus operandi now. It is human nature to be reactive instead of proactive, reassuring ourselves, keeping positive, that nothing bad will happen.
This is one of the many aspects of human nature when husband loves to say, “We all have caveman brains.” To which I protest:
“I do not.”
“Yes, we all do, Heidi.”
“No, we don’t, that’s crazy!!!”
Then I realize my angry reaction is a great example that yes indeed, I do have a stone-age mentality.
But with the introduction of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) into our modern society, maybe we are starting to learn. No nation was terribly proactive once the threat was realized, in a state of denial, but we’ve seen a degree of preparation that we haven’t seen, well, perhaps, ever. The cancelling of major events. The introduction of social distancing. The closets filled with TP (ok, that’s going way too far…) We are in mitigation-mode and not in the preferred position of prevention, but at least society is taking important steps to try to slow this bad bug down.
There is hope for we cave people after all. It’s a shot of feel-good that large moneymakers like the NBA are taking big steps. And the growing number random acts of kindness by the “little people” reassure that humanity still can come together in times of crisis.
Like the generous individual who cut a big check to the local coffee kiosk, paying for everyone’s coffee that day.
Like the local library, closed to the public, providing curbside service to its patrons (and still keeping its employees working).
Like the restaurant shuttering its doors but sending its employees home with perishable food to offset a necessary expense.
Think of the exponential growth of good that can result from paying these good deeds forward. If 50 people get their coffee free today, and each of those 50 people go and do something good for even 10 more people, and then each of those ten…well, you get the picture. The good can give COVID-19 a run for its money in its infectiousness.
An article published in the July 24, 2019, issue of the Star Tribune in Minneapolis, Minnesota, reported this from the National Academy of Sciences:
Even small acts of kindness, such as sharing a smile or holding the door for someone, give your immune system a boost, making you more resilient and less anxious or depressed. …
Ok, if you still go out in public, be sure to hold that door with your elbow or backside. But if you don’t or can’t, try a virtual coffee date. Send a handwritten note to someone. Not only could it spawn more thoughtfulness, it may boost infection-fighting abilities.
And get the kiddos involved. More than ever, what better lesson to learn than to be kind and reach out and make someone’s day?
We may be cave people in our thinking, but we are so fortunate to have modern marvels at our disposal. We can call, text and Facetime. We can purchase gift cards electronically for use at a later date. We can still connect while socially distancing, and now both are extremely important.
