One year, folks. One year since things went nuts.
On March 6th 2020, Chico flew back to the United States from Spain, and on March 14th Trump banned flights from many European countries (including Spain!).
The fact that Chico has been with us through this pandemic has been one of the small miracles I’ve witnessed over the last year.
There have been a few others.
The Power of a Gifted Teacher
We are lucky to live in a privileged school district, where each child was issued a Chromebook. We are also lucky to have reliable internet connection.
And we are extremely lucky that for kindergarten the Bug was assigned to one of the finest teachers I have ever encountered. A woman of great patience, kindness, but firmness, with a sense of humor to boot.
Mrs. B has reached through the computer screen and ignited the Bug’s love of learning. I consider that a miracle. And the miracle of Mrs. B’s gift has had such a big impact on our family.
He’s logged on to school each day with joy and anticipation, and not once has he complained about it. Miracle.
The Dedication of a Team of Strangers
I signed up to volunteer with the local medical reserve corps last spring. I felt powerless in the face of the pandemic and wanted to help.
From the first time I volunteered, I was struck by how well organized, how proactive and how coordinated everything and everyone was. It seemed to me like all the other volunteers were pros who had been doing this forever.
It turns out, a large number of them were first-time volunteers like me. But like me, they were of a mindset that they were there simply to be useful.
It speaks to how well the organizers from the health department do their jobs, because the MRC here runs like a well-oiled machine.
We currently vaccinate between 1,800 and 2,800 people a day at the county vaccination site. That entire operation is staffed solely by volunteers.
That volunteer army is a miracle.
How Children Adapt to the New Normal
The first time I went to the grocery store wearing a face mask, I nearly had a panic attack.
It was so strange, so frightening and so new to me that I didn’t think I’d ever get used to it.
Ha! Shows what I know! Now I feel weird NOT wearing a mask!
When the kids first had to wear masks, it was a struggle. They complained and fussed, and kept pulling them off their faces. By the second time, they were more resigned. By the third time it was as if they’d been wearing them all their lives.
Now, when we leave the house, they put on their masks like champs. It’s the new normal for them, and they shrug and put them on, just like they put on sunglasses on sunny days and hats on cold ones. No biggie.
Not having to argue about mask wearing every time we go out? Definitely a miracle.
A Shoutout to Librarians
The last little miracle I’ve witnessed is the wonderful dedication of people who love their jobs, and do them well.
Specifically, librarians.
They are a rare and wonderful breed, and they enrich our lives in so many small ways. Every Monday, we go to our local library, and there we encounter the ways librarians show the community their love.
They’re small: A carefully chosen display of books and references on this month’s theme (March is national crafting month!). A printed flyer with a list of read-aloud chapter book recommendations for children ages six to nine. The weekly craft, all neatly packed in a brown paper bag, ready for us to take home (this week we’re growing zinnias!).
The joy the boys feel when they pick up their weekly crafts, and then settle in to browse the bookshelves… That joy is a gift from the librarians.
And it is no small miracle.
Thank You, Miracle Workers
Thank you to the teachers, the volunteers and the librarians. Thank you for the miracles you work every day.
