Friday has kind of lost its novelty, a little bit these days, hasn’t it? I still love Fridays, though. Friday signifies completion of a harried, momentous, emotional week with the realization that we are still alive and kicking. We are survivors and we are thrivers.
I keep lots of inspirational notebooks, where I paste things that move me, whether they be pictures or words. Yesterday, I pulled out one of the notebooks that I kept during the last major recession. Two things stood out to me yesterday from this particular notebook. One is this simple prayer (sorry, I don’t know who to credit):
Dear God,
Please stop the storms within me.
Make peaceful my mind and calm my heart.
Reveal to me the love around me,
That my fear might fall away.
Amen.
Second, these are Maya Angelou’s beautiful, inspiring words:
“Love heals. Heals and liberates. I use the word love, not meaning sentimentality, but a condition so strong that it may be that which holds the stars in their heavenly positions and that which causes the blood to flow orderly in our veins.”
Here are some of my favorite actions taken during these very tumultuous times. These are very apropos of a good Favorite Things Friday:
+My friend sent a link to this yesterday to our friend group chat. I can’t stop listening to it. This hymn was always a generational family favorite.
+Over 12,000 Airbnb hosts opened their homes up to medical responders to the victims of the coronavirus.
+Kylie Jenner donated one million dollars towards medical equipment to her local hospitals. (She’s now my favorite Kardashian)
+Crocs, the shoe company, is giving away its shoes free to healthcare workers during this traumatic time.
+The luxurious Four Seasons Hotel is giving free stays to NYC doctors, fighting for lives of coronavirus victims.
+James Dyson (think vacuum cleaners and hand dryers) came up with a new ventilator model design in just ten days. What a brilliant man! He is producing 15,000 of them and donating 5,000 of them to the international effort to save lives.
+My friend in Virginia was part of a “teacher parade” yesterday, where teachers paraded in their caravan of cars, throughout the neighborhoods of their students. They held up poster board signs of love and encouragement, giving students a sense that “all is going to be okay”.
+A “sewing army” as they are called, of volunteer crafters, are making thousands of homemade masks as a back-up, should our medical workers fall short of their own supply.
++++++Late addition, but I had to add it. Drew Brees and his wife donated five million dollars to Louisiana towards coronavirus relief and look how big-hearted Hoda Kotb (Today Show) reacted. So touching and real:
These are just a few of many remarkable acts of love, generosity and courage, which have come out of this dark, harrowing situation we are facing these days. Please, please add any wonderful stories that you have heard in the news or have seen in your own neighborhoods, in my Comments section. Love prevails. Don’t forget that. Love ALWAYS prevails. Have a wonderful weekend, friends. Look for the helpers. They are EVERYWHERE.
