“Use every man as he deserves and who shall ‘scape whipping”
Slightly paraphrased from Hamlet by the Bard
Sometimes we all need that whipping. When I watch the news, I wonder if anyone can see beyond his/her own nose.
We applaud the work of the medical professionals and emergency services workers who show up every day despite the risk to their health and the health of their families. We can easily overlook, however, the essential people who keep the medical facilities clean, who care for our elderly, who fold sheets, deliver meals, and keep the system up and running.
We can be adamant about opening businesses too soon because the virus might kick up again but we sure don’t want those folks at the pharmacy to close their doors when we need our medicine/hair coloring/razor blades. I went to one of the big box pharmacies last week and had an enlightening conversation with an employee who wore a mask but had to listen to customers who told her how foolish it was to wear one. She was in constant fear of taking the virus home to her family.
The popular argument is, “If you risk contact, you could carry the virus home and be responsible for grandma’s death!” What an unfair burden to people who have to be there because we call them essential.
And grocery stores…don’t get me started…wait, too late. We need those stockers to keep putting that toilet paper on the shelves and listen to us complain about the lack of hand sanitizer. Furthermore, why don’t they open more registers? Don’t they care about OUR needs?
I need my government check so those post office people need to get their act together and show up for work every day and make sure the bank tellers are at work so I can cash that stipend.
We like to pat ourselves on the back because we are ordering things on-line so we don’t have to risk face to face contact. Amazon and Fed Ex workers don’t have that luxury. They have to be at work to pack and deliver all those boxes.
Here’s the whipping part.
We take others for granted. We value our comfort above their safety and then complain to them when our hoarding causes shortages. We treat them as non-entities and forget that they have minds that fear and hearts that love. They do far more for us than we do for them and yet we are resentful if they can’t supply our every want.
Shame on us! Shame on me! Look over the mask and into the eyes. Interact “one human to another”. Serve one another with kindness.
Be safe, Be kind, Make someone’s life easier.
Mike
Comments