I SEE YOU - ICU
Thursday, December 24, 2020
Here we are.
It has been a rugged year for nearly everyone in some way, but we are still here.
24th of a month – a Thursday, so nothing unusual about that.
But it’s Christmas Eve, time for laughter and food, for socializing and celebrating. It’s unlike any Christmas season anyone of us has known, except for soldiers who’ve been separated from their homes and families when on faraway battlefields. This year, our battlefields are closer-by – Intensive Care Units of every hospital where heroes fight valiant battles for life.
While life as usual remains undisturbed for many. Business as usual is faint-memory, perhaps a now outmoded term.
Yet, at the same moment, in our country and many others too, people are brought to their knees by this medical emergency and its side-effect, financial emergency. Companies, banks, governments, and societies will recover. Many individuals and small businesses will not.
For far too many, it has been a murderous year – loss of life, loss of loved ones, and loss of their capacity to thrive – and we all need to recognize that the weakest among us have not been rewarded by the pandemic and need support. COVID-19 has wiped out many people and tested society’s ability to cope, manage, work, and think their way through unprecedented times. Governments are too hard-pressed to get a handle on very much.
While we ready ourselves for seasonal feasts, while we wait for vaccine distributions – let’s face it, most of us have very little to trouble us compared to so many less fortunate. This year those less fortunate aren’t all half-way around the world awash in poverty and despair – because we’ve got plenty of that here too. Every charity has less coming in than last year and far more pressure on them for funds and resources to meet growing needs in the community …
As we look out at quiet snowy landscapes, let’s stay safe and play safe and wish peace on earth and goodwill toward everyone. It’s a holiday about much more than Christianity and Santa Claus – which bridges cultures and continents, it causes cease-fires. It reminds everyone that we too quickly fight about things that aren’t very important and don’t spend enough time celebrating everyone who touches us deeply and those who touch our lives in tiny ways too.
It has been a difficult year, but we can look forward to a new year without fear.
OK, maybe some apprehension, but not full-on fear.