Today - Will we be as strong as our grandparents?

The 2 generations before us were tough.and lived through more tough times than me. What kept them going?

How can we thrive together from the experience of the pandemic?

Memorial Day got me thinking about my parents and grandparents.  They lived with not 1 but 2 world wars, a depression and the horrible flu pandemic of 1918.  The wars went on 4 years.  That is far more than I have experienced in my life.  How did they do it?  They didn’t even have internet and streaming to keep themselves entertained.  They couldn’t connect in a virtual happy hour or send funny videos and texts to keep their spirits uplifted.

During the 1918 flu pandemic they took quarantining seriously.  Some towns barricaded themselves and had armed guards to keep people from entering so they could keep themselves safe from the spread of disease.  I wish my parents and grandparents were still alive so I could ask them.  How did they entertain themselves?  What did they think about and focus on to help them to survive and thrive? 

I can understand why they were called the greatest generation.  They were tough.  I guess how we respond to the pandemic will determine how tough and resilient we are.  Don’t kid yourself.  This pandemic will last 2 years but it won’t last as long as the World Wars.  

We are at a choice point.  Life throws us curves.  How we respond is up to us.  Will we whine and complain how horrible it is and emphasize our individual rights are more important than keeping others safe?  Will we pull together and find ways to use this pandemic to not go back to what it was before but make it better?  Can we create a better vision of what we want our society to be after this experience? In what ways can we support one another and help one another in this crisis?

How can we open up businesses and still be responsible to not spread the disease? 

I do believe we can figure this out by asking the questions that will lead us to a better outcome than what we had before the pandemic, then we take action individually and as a community.