Two weeks ago I wrote about grief, but this week, as the year draws to a close, I’m writing with hope and joy. In this time of heartache, there is still much to be hopeful about. Vaccines are on the move, Joe Biden will be our next president, and the bedrock of our democracy is still intact.
“Look for the helpers,” Fred Rogers said. This past year, there’s been so much news of grief and vitriol, but also countless stories of compassion. There have been teddy bear safaris, banging pots and cookie drives for health care workers, fundraisers by celebrities and centenarians. Billions of people have worn masks to protect their fellow humans. Millions more have valiantly worked through dangerous conditions, tending to the sick, delivering packages, working in grocery stores and warehouses, and putting themselves at serious risk to keep the world turning, food on tables, and hospitals running. More Americans turned out to vote than ever in history, for both parties, and did so without violence and while protecting each other from the pandemic.
At a Zoom conference I attended recently, participants were asked what most concerned us about the state of the country. My answer was “tribalism.” Then we were asked what gave us the most hope, and I said “everyday compassion.” Others loved this comment.
Everyday compassion. Hearts and care emojis on Facebook, eyes smiling above facemasks, neighbors helping neighbors, people making each other laugh. This is what gives me hope.
It’s been rainy and gray here in Portland, but sometimes the sun breaks through the clouds, and on days like that, everyone steps out into the light. We appreciate the sun here because we sometimes go without it for weeks!
On sunny days I’ve been driving to Sauvie Island, a broad, open landscape of wetlands and farm fields that reminds me of Wisconsin more than anywhere else here. Flocks of sandhill cranes, tundra swans, geese, and ducks winter here, and the sky is often filled with them, wheeling and turning, their calls echoing over the land. In the sunlight, it is glorious, and it brings me deep peace.
I wish you peace, comfort, love, and hope for the new year.
