A month ago who would have thought our physical communities would be closed and our daily rhythms disrupted. As the uncertainty of the unknown weighs heavily upon our psyche, we can rest assured that “this too shall pass”.
Our natural tendency as humans is to respond in fear, self-preservation, and self-interest. Although fear is good, it needs to be constrained with faith. Fear alerts us to the danger; faith puts danger in perspective, and pushes us to move to what is possible. It’s believing in what isn’t seen, not the current circumstance we are in.
While we do indeed need to protect and nurture ourselves, generally, a focus on “me” only leads to toxicity in relationship and community. The giving of our time and resources to another releases us from ourselves, and gives life to those who intersect with us.
As the reality and impact of COVID-19 has come upon us there is an altering of our lives. Our economy has taken a tremendous hit over the past month, not to mention the past few years. The reality is that although financial capital has been eroded, the intellectual capital of the people within our communities, province, and country still remain. This intellectual capital is what will be needed to rebuild our society
During this time, we need to conserve our personal resources and be careful in our social interaction. On the other hand, we need to make strategic investments in relationships and local businesses, to ensure our communities will emerge stronger from this time of crisis.
As this crisis unfolds, I would encourage you to keep up to date with local community organizations for resources and on-line programs that are being made available at this time.
From my family to yours,
Lowell Harder
