I Hope The History Books Talk About The Goodness Of Humanity, Too
May the talk about the pandemic reflect more than statistics
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When the history books speak about the COVID-19 pandemic, I know they’ll talk about statistics.
They’ll talk about the lives that we lost. They’ll talk about other countries. They’ll talk about the faults of our leaders. They’ll talk about what the current administration did and did not do. They’ll talk about China and Italy, and South Korea, too. They’ll talk about how there was no mass in the Vatican on Easter Sunday and how people streamed religious services from their home. They’ll talk about the leadership that soothed anxious souls — how Governor Andrew Cuomo’s press conferences were a comfort, even when the news was hard to hear.
They’ll talk about all that, and I’m sure they’ll talk about even more.
But I hope that when they write the history books about these pandemic times, they’ll talk about the goodness of humanity that we see, too.
I hope they’ll talk about how people in New York City held a sing-a-long and sang out on their fire escapes, and front stoops, and out their windows — “New York, New York.”
I hope they talk about how, every night at 7 pm, New York City clapped for the doctors, nurses, and first responders.
I hope they’ll talk about how, even without a million people in it, Times Square is truly magnificent.
I hope they’ll talk about how artists poured their hearts into their screens, brightening the days of anyone who wished to tune in.
I hope they talk about how fashion designers made masks for the ones who had none, how they showed up for our doctors and our nurses and our healthcare staff.
I hope they talk about how the people that work at Trader Joe’s still managed to greet you with a smile, and that grocery store workers across the country continued to show up to work. They kept stocking shelves and helped you bag your groceries and told you what aisle to find your hand soap — even though they too were afraid.
I hope they’ll talk about the new mothers who were warriors and gave birth during a pandemic.
