Thin Slivers

I am grasping at the thin slivers of hope. The sidewalk chalk messages that someone scrawled on the bike path, "Be happy," something with "Love," and of course, "Wash your hands."

It is hard these days to stay positive. It is easy to be overwhelmed and anxious. It is easy to trip down the rabbit-hole of worry. Worry about my mom's health problems, worry about my students, worry about how sick this thing is making people, worry about the groceries I can't get...

But then I get on the bike path and see that people are good, they are coming together (figuratively!!!) to give inspiration and thin slivers of hope to each other. With each pedal stroke, more of my anxiety dissipates. I see people taking the social distancing seriously - moving into single file to allow 6 feet for my biking partner and me to pass. A sliver of hope. An appreciation of humanity. A student of mine finally got internet today, day 2 of week 2 of online learning. A buoy.

We can do this. We can get through this. One sliver of hope at a time.