What I Learned from Covid

As I watched a news report about all the impact Covid had on our society, I am reminded of a very important fact that also came from that experience.

In the past few days, I have seen several examples of the failure of much of the world’s population to realize how connected we are. I spoke with a teacher who told me about the entitlement that she sees in the actions and beliefs of elementary school children, who want and expect others to do things for them. Simple things like picking up a pencil that was dropped on the floor. The lesson isn’t as much about the act, but the mindset and expectation. “What can you do for me?”

For some reason, yesterday I watched a show about neighbors who didn’t give each other respect and their conflict escalated to the point that it ended up in the deaths of all 3 parties. All this over a parking spot (when others were readily available).

Which brings me to the lesson I learned – or perhaps was reminded of – looking back on my Covid experience. We are all connected. What happens to one happens to all? If you recall, the COVID epidemic started in China with one person and spread to impact every single person on this Earth. I do not know of anyone who wasn’t impacted by Covid in some way. I trust that the first things that come to mind are lockdowns, hoarding toilet paper and homeschooling, but we also evolved with technology, work from home and medicine.

The direct connection to others was lost (Zoom isn’t quite the same, but definitely better than no connection). Every connection to another is an opportunity to spread good. When we connect and share good, it can spread to others that are thousands of miles away. Like Covid, treating others well is contagious.

Even though I don’t leave resolutions (opportunities to grow or change a habit) for New Year’s Eve, because I don’t believe in delaying progress that I can make today for the future, I do recognize the time held practice of New Year’s Resolutions and value the desire of people to have a fresh start symbolized by the changing of the calendar.

So, as you look to make your New Year’s Resolutions, I would ask you to consider being good to others as part of yours. Let’s see how much good we can do together! And if you don’t like the results, then 2025 is only 366 days away (it’s leap year).

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