We are in this together ... Alone

After WW1 and WW2, the soldiers were the heroes. After 9-11 the Firefighters and Police Officers were the heroes. Today it is many people who are on the front line to help us all get through this. Nurses, doctors, firefighters, grocery store workers and so many more. But one group of people should join that group of heroes is the Food bank volunteers. Gathering food for those who lost their jobs and don't have money to buy food or their rent or their car insurance. Food bank workers stand outside at the drive-thru passing out boxes and bags of food as the people drive thru with their trunks open. Sometimes the drivers sit in lines that clog traffic for as much as 6 hours to get flour, cereal, orange juice and milk. Some of those volunteers are jobless too, but yet they help others.

Then there is the medical staff. Putting themselves at risk to help others, sometimes without proper protective garments, and yet they share it or take it home to wash them. people coming out of retirement because their local hospital needs help. And again, some of them are laid-off and hurting themselves.

As a retired firefighter, I know we walked into many homes to see a seriously ill people, or called to a scene of a car accident and never knew what we were getting into. I saw many diseases in my career. From HIV to SARS to TB to anything you could imagine. I have been spattered with blood, and other body fluids, several times, but never caught anything be maybe a cold. allergies is my biggest enemy. All of these people, plus thousands of other professions, deserve our thanks and help. Grocery store employees, garage men, postal workers, police officers, all are still working out there to keep our cities and towns going. I have a friend who is a funeral home director. Imagine her job when the deceased's family needs to grieve but is not allowed to hold a proper funeral with family members. My friend has to help the families arrange the single person funeral by way of 'Face Time' or 'Zoom' on phones and computers. A person is in the last hours at a hospital, and their wife, son, husband, daughter can not come in the room to comfort the person in their hours of life. Another friend had to literally drop her very ill husband at the hospital doorstep, because she could go in with him. Nurses and doctors quarantine themselves for fear to bring COVID-19 home. Yes, we ALL are in this together, but many are alone. Many need help, whether it is food, financial or just a friendly call. All I am asking you is to share the love you may have to others ANYWAY YOU CAN. Stay in touch with family, friends, the old man or lady down the street or the apartment in you building. Many are fighting this alone. You could be their lifeline. Please help in your way. Take care, stay safe and health.