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| AUTHOR SARAH RAPLEE |
This subject is important to me. I am
kicking off our blog-ver-sation about celebrating community during difficult
times by sharing some of my thoughts about community and celebrations. Please
share your thoughts and questions in the comments to keep the conversation
going. Feel free to invite your friends and neighbors to join us. I will check
in often to add my two cents worth.
Since the beginning of the pandemic I have seen
many heartwarming examples of community members coming together to help and support
one another.
There have been food drives, blood drives,
neighbors shopping for vulnerable neighbors, strangers lending a helping hand to
others in their communities, people sewing masks and gowns or 3-D printing face
shields for front-line workers.
Most people wear masks when they leave home to prevent the
spread of the virus in their communities. They wash their hands frequently and
well. When they can’t do so, they use
hand sanitizer. They are careful to cough or sneeze into a tissue or their
elbow. They make it a point to shop local, even online, as much as possible to
help the community’s businesses survive.
People do these things not only to protect
themselves and their families, but also to protect their communities. They
understand that humankind as a whole is greater than the sum of its parts. We
are all a part of something bigger than ourselves.
I’d like to share with you one of my favorite poems
that most people know by first line rather than by title.
‘No Man Is an Island’
John Donne, 17th Century English
Poet and cleric
No man is an island entire of itself; every man
is a piece of the continent, a part of the
main;
if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe
is the less, as well as if a promontory were,
as
well as any manner of thy friends or of thine
own were; any man's death diminishes me,
because I am involved in mankind.
And therefore never send to know for whom
the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.
How do we celebrate community in this strange
new reality we’re living? How do we nurture those connections and upraise their
importance in society? We get creative!!!
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New Yorker’s come together at 7pm each day to give thanks and gratitude to the city’s frontline workers fighting the coronavirus pandemic.
Adam Jeffery | CNBC
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Parades of cars decorated with signs and
balloons drive by a house on a child’s birthday. Horns honk and people sing or
call our “Happy Birthday!!!”
A young woman hosts a virtual baby shower for
her sister. Friends play games, joke around, eat cake together while apart, and
clap as each present is opened.
Assisted living staff and residents applaud a
recovering Covid patient who returns from quarantine.
People stand on their porches and balconies at
a pre-arranged time and applaud or bang on pots and pans to cheer for frontline
medical workers and first responders.
What ways have you noticed people celebrating
community since the pandemic changed things? Do you feel closer to your
communities, or do you feel lonely? Why?
27 comments:
In Melbourne Australia, our Romance writers guild had a Zoom get together. We shared our experiences and how we're coping. We also got to celebrate an author's milestone success. The feeling of connection that meeting gave me warmed my heart. Our country has so far not been overwhelmed but we have been deeply affected. Missing family and friends means a chat with a neighbour over the fence is lovely.
Community is critical in these uncertain times. Not so long ago, I was the one running errands for people who couldn't get out. Now, while I do make forays every couple of weeks, I have a neighbor who shops for fresh produce for me every Monday. That change in perspective has been daunting for me and reminds me of my heightened level of vulnerability.
What I miss most are hugs! I can see people, wave and even have that six feet apart conversation when on a walk, or chat with friends on Zoom. However, virtual and air hugs are not the same. I miss most the feel of my grands, great grands and friends hugs.
On Facebook I was invited to participate in "A View from your Window." There are several versions of this bonding of communities from all over the world on FB. You post pics of what your view is from indoors. I have seen and shared some of the most beautiful views from all over the world. Some come from those afflicted by Covid19. I have made some new friends this way and the pics are very inspiring. We are all in this together. Sad as this disease is, it has brought the world together.
Another observation is hearing from people I haven't heard from in years. The art of conversation is back. Good to know humanity still cares.
Great comments! I miss hugging my family and friends. I miss going out for coffee with my writer friends. I have seen on Facebook where a friend who lives around the corner made 100 masks for the local hospital, that was awesome. I've only made six and it is time consuming.
I try not to go anywhere. My husband has comprised immune system, and lungs so is at high risk. I can't afford to get the virus or bring it home to him.
So cabin fever hits us every now and then. I really don't feel closer to my community as I've not been out or seen anyone except my Instacart people who deliver my groceries. I see on tv where there are a lot more people picking up free food and the community is donating for that.
I zoom with my sister and friend, Sarah and Judith, once a week. That is the highlight of my week. I try to FaceTime with my kids as much as possible, that always lightens my day. Stay Home and stay safe everyone!
My community is my online friends. Without them I would be completely lost. One group is sharing more and the conversations go on during the day. The other group seems to be disintegrating. Maybe it's the realization that this pandemic is too disheartening. Too real. Too tragic.
I have seen my son several times over the weeks. And I'm now venturing out to my favorite grocery store myself, because my grocery store is doing a fantastic job keeping people safe. And I had a massage this week. I trust my therapist to keep her clients safe. But I'm not going to trust anyone else. No restaurants, no haircuts, no mall shopping. No venturing far from home.
I do have a husband sharing the house with me. I'm not alone. And I have plenty to do to keep us fed and me on my very rigid diet for my health. It's a good thing I'm an introvert. I can be satisfied to be at home. We live in the country and I have birds and animals to watch. Yesterday I was treated to the sight of a doe and her newborn fawn in my backyard. I'm still in awe.
We will get through this. I'm confident.
Dora, I thank God every day for video chatting! Those chats really help to foster that feeling of community. Having that tool to connect is a blessing.Judith and I were thinking about having Zoom chats with the Genre-istas in each time zone . what do you think?
Judith, I miss hugs so much! I have my husband and my pets to cuddle with, so I am very lucky in that respect. But I miss hugging family and friends. A good friend's husband passed yesterday from cancer - at home, luckily - but the need to visit and hug her is hard to resist.
People are so creative! I love "A View from the Window". What a wonderful way to share our experience globally.
I think video chatting is helping with the rebirth of conversation. And the pandemic reminds us not to take others for granted. "We are all one step away from Eternity."
I would love a Zoom meeting with the generistas! It would be fun to meet everyone in "Person" and chat.
Marcia, that's an idea for the Genre-istas...we can pick a day (we do have a FB page) and post a view from our window or another theme. Love that I'd be able to Pippa's view in the UK as well as our Aussie authors. Oh and then we have you in Florida, Delsora in Maine, Courtney in Montana and a few here in the Northwest.
I've three main writing communities. Romancing The Genre, #ftb and Goal Reporters. RTG and #ftb are daily contacts while Goal Reporters is every weekend.
Lovely post, Sarah. In some ways, I feel closer, and in others, I feel the loss of our old community routines. I do appreciate all the volunteers who are making masks, ordering to go meals from local restaurants, and supporting their community members in other ways. It is heartening to see how people are helping others.
Great post, Sarah! I have maintained the sense of community through calls with family and a couple friends, email, ZOOM meetings and a couple scheduled write-ins and webinars on craft. That, writing, and reading craft and fun books has kept the sense of community going for me, along with a couple loops that I'm on.
It will be really interesting to see if we all keep up with the creative things we have done to feel connected once this pandemic is no longer such a threat.
Diana, It is certainly hard not being able to see friends and neighbors face-to-face.nd with your husband so at risk, stress adds to the loneliness. I remember you telling me about visiting with a friend while standing on her sidewalk and she stayedd on her porch 12ft. away. You seeemed to relly enjoy that.
I'm going to try having 'distance coffee' like that with a friend or two each week. I've seen where some people meet in school parking lots, bring their own coffee and snacks and blankets, park a good dozen feet apart, and open hatches to sit in the back or roll down windows to chat.
I may try that, too. I have a heart valve problem that's put me at risk, and I'm over 60, so we will continue to shelter at home for the foreseeable future, too.
I'm happy you want to Zoom with the Genre-istas!
Barabara, you are right. We will get through this.
Like you, I live in the country and I'm an introvert. That makes it easier in some ways, but not all. We can't get home delivery where I live.Not even pizza, let alone groceries! But we can walk our property without fear or precautions.
Online friends ceertainly help when one is isolated.
I have a newly forming community due to a neighborhood challenge. Recently someone fell due to a trip hazard on the sidewalk. City inspector came out and it turns out Every property on the block (about 11 houses) needs sidewalk repair. How does that translate into community? Three of us are leading the way to find a contractor who will give us a Good Discount for doing all of our sidewalks. Much easier to get this done with others than to tackle it alone.
Judith and Marcia, I love the idea of doing something similar on our FB page. Maybe post a photo of something different each week on a certain day?
Lynn, I feel the same way - closer in some ways and further apart in others. I heard a psychologist speak on a news program about how we are all grieving over the way of life we have, at least partially, lost.
Peggy, it sounds like you have found many ways to stay connected. I am trying to be more methodical in making sure I Zoom with or call someone every day. I also play Words with Friends with my sister and a friend every day. I need t find some more games to play with others.
Love your newfound community group story, Judith! There IS strength in numbers.
I will look into having at least one Zoom meeting for the Genre-istas soon. Seeing your faces and hearing your voices would be awesome!!! Something we could never have imagined doing nine years ago when we launched the blog.
Yes, please let's zoom and the view from our individual windows would be wonderful. Bring us together.
A Zoom meeting and the pictures on RTG Facebook page are both great ideas. Let me know about either one and I'll post picture a day and show up for the Zoom meeting!!!
Lovely post, Sarah. Just as it takes a village to raise a child, to quote Hillary Clinton, it takes a community to survive a pandemic. I've stayed in touch with my writing community by video chatting with colleagues and critique partners. And I've stayed in touch with my greater community - relatives and friends - the same way. I have a regular coffee chat every Friday morning with a friend, and a regular happy hour chat with another couple.
I'm up for a Zoom chat. Great idea.
Marcia and Diana, , thanks for your input. Judith and I will talk and let everyone know!
Thanks for your input, Dora. We'll get on it!
Luanna, I love what you said about surviving the pandemic. So ture!!!
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