Our elders who lived through the Second World War will remember. In times of crisis, people want two things: To be fed, and to have their worried minds put at ease.
Judging by the bare shelves in some stores, we know the first part won’t be an issue for some people. Remember, hoarding a year’s worth of supplies heightens your neighbour’s anxiety unnecessarily. The supply chain is not threatened.
When it comes to lifting our spirits, we have been heartened by the number of story pitches we are getting from do-gooders who are out there finding ways to do more good. We’ll publish as many of them as we can.
The reports we are receiving of packed patios and crammed coffee shops tell us some folks still aren’t getting the more important message though. We are social creatures, but right now we have to demonstrate it by keeping our distance.
If we want things to return to normal (and we all desperately do), we have to accept a period of abnormality. That means sacrifice and doing without some niceties. Of course, we want all of our businesses to still be here when this has blown over, so don’t hesitate to order gift certificates or line up a purchase for a few weeks down the road. And we don’t want to bring you any stories of landlords evicting their tenants while accepting federal aid.
As we rise to meet a challenge not known in most of our lifetimes, we ask you again to look to our elders. They have lived through an existential threat before and now they are the ones who are most at risk. Let’s do right by them, just as they did for us.
