The Ladders is one of those emails that come into my inbox that I read most of the time. It speaks to trends in the workplace, resume tips, job hunting ideas. And sometimes the authors of the site have insightful thoughts that I pass on to friends and family. This week’s post by the site’s founder, Marc Cenedella, was one of those and I’d like to share it with you.
In summary, Marc suggests we should be thankful for 2020 and the pandemic we are all living through. Thankful we live at this time, with this technology and this level of human cooperation across the globe.
He compares the coronavirus to other plaques and scourges throughout history, where humankind did not fare nearly as well. Past plagues where humankind slipped back decades in their advancement, nations went to war and a huge percentage of the earth’s population died from the illness or famine.
His point hit home with me for sure! Most of us have everything we need. Food, shelter, safety, jobs or income. For those who have lost their jobs, at least some social networks exist in our country that can help us feed our loved ones and access health care.
I am guilty of focusing on what I don’t have right now. Like the comfort of time with friends. Family around our Thanksgiving table. Parties and socializing that we look so forward to in the holiday season. Pandemic Fatigue describes it pretty well.
Marc’s article made me think deeply about how lucky I am to live in this time, in this moment.
Where a vaccine can be researched and safe for approval in months. Not in the many years it took for polio.
Where rapid advancements in treatment are realities that are helping people survive. Compared to the Spanish Flu Pandemic of 1917-1918 we are on course to lose far fewer people across the world.
Where we can share information across the globe and help each other to fight the virus.
And grateful for dedicated people that work in health care and for other essential employees who have sacrificed so much. As we enter the 2020 holiday season starting with Thanksgiving, so much will be hard. But so much has been and will be good, too.
Focusing on that good, that which we have, not what we don’t - that is what I’m going to work harder to do. To show my best face in this adversity. To be prayerful for an end soon. To act responsibly to stop the spread.
My Mom always said that the test of a person is not when things are easy, but when they are hardest. 2020 has been hard, that’s for sure! I ask you to join me to commit to maintaining a positive attitude, not in spite of the pandemic, but because we are blessed to live in a time where a pandemic can, hopefully, be conquered in the matter of months, not decades.
This is not to downplay the lives that have been lost. My heart hurts for each family who has lost a loved one to the coronavirus and during this pandemic. Grief is hard in any circumstance; the pandemic has just made it that much harder. Let’s all work to support those who are grieving, and help them through.
By each of us demonstrating our human kindness, humankind can really have its greatest year ever.
Here is the link to Marc’s article:
Be blessed,
Ellen
Ellen Krohne
We Lost Her, available at this link on Amazon.com
Heartbroken, available at this link on Amazon.com
“We Grow Stronger Together”