Sharing Stories

Millions infected.  Around 200,000 deaths. 

That was the estimate given by Dr. Fauci a couple days ago.  To which he immediately said, he doesn't want to be held to that number.  There is no guarantee in any of this.  There is some rough science, getting a little more solid each day, but no guarantees.  The virus is unpredictable in many ways as are the behaviors of individuals.  As large groups, we will probably follow the majority of the rules, but there will always be individuals. 

I can't help but think of all the stories lost with those deaths. 

Many deaths have come and will come from our elderly populations.  Those living in nursing homes or hospitals, nearing their own natural end only to be hastened by a virus. 

Then I think of the loneliness they must have experienced pre-virus only to be exponentially made worse post-virus.  It happened that a chapter I read from my book this morning touched on this.  It was about a teenager going to visit the lonely in nursing homes and how, though uncomfortable, it profoundly changed his life.  Matthew Kelly was that teen and he stated, "These elderly men and women in the nursing home were intensely lonely in many cases, and they didn't have a lot of tomorrows to look forward to.  Every single one of them had a story to tell about their lives, and these stories were filled with fabulous lessons about life, love, work, success, failure, marriage, parenting, hopes and dreams, fears and regrets.  But they had nobody to tell their stories to."

So many of those included in the numbers above will be lost without their stories being shared.  What can we do?  Can we capture their stories before they are gone?  These are war veterans and teachers and leaders and inventors and musicians and artists.  There is so much to unlock from them that they haven't shared yet. 

So what?

Visitations have been restricted.  But maybe there is someone out there, some inventive teen who comes up with a way to have staff record responses to questions.  You probably wouldn't need many questions to get these people talking.  Can we capture their voices before they pass?

And what about moving forward?  Can we start to go into our nursing homes and assisted living homes to visit and listen and hear their stories and their voices? What harm would that really do to us?  Should anyone die alone without having their voice heard?

That is the challenge put forth from Kelly and during these times.  What change will we allow this time to have on us? On our behavior?  Visit the lonely.  Care for the sick.

These are powerful words now and forever.