Aging with Grace

Never believe that a few caring people can’t change the world. For, indeed, that’s all who ever have.

Margaret Mead

Today, more than ever, our actions matter. This was brought home to me as I listened to stories of two women who’s husbands had died from the Corona virus.

 At the beginning of March, I received a text telling me I had been exposed to COVID19 through someone I volunteered with at the library. This was at a time when we were just beginning to realize how serious the virus was. I was okay. Unfortunately, the husband of the woman I volunteered with contracted the illness and died.  His was one of the first deaths in Colorado caused by COVID19. Last week, I was in a virtual meeting she attended. As I listened to her talk about calling her husband’s 100 year old mother to tell her what had happened, I could hear the pain in her voice as she spoke. If only we had known more. If only there was something we could have done.

Last week, I received a text about the husband of a woman I had met at a dinner party. He had been a prominent attorney in San Francisco and involved in many philanthropic causes. I remember his charming smile and soft spoken personality. A couple of months ago, he fell and broken his hip. During time in a rehabilitation facility, he came down with the Corona virus and died, shortly after.

If there is any chance we can save just one person by wearing a mask or practicing social distancing, why wouldn’t we do it? The cost to us is small and it could mean a great deal to someone else. This isn’t about being a Democrat or Republican, it’s about being a responsible, caring human being.