When I was young, I remember hearing stories about those who were part of the generation that lived through the depression, stashing money, and other valuables in their mattresses. As a young man who had not had much experience, this seemed unnecessary, but I had never seen a bank close, I had never had a time where food was not in my refrigerator. I had spent my life sheltered by my parents in very safe and stable times. The most I went through was the gas shortages in the seventies, and even that seemed more like an inconvenience than a real crisis. I was young and didn't have a job, so my memories are of waiting in line to get gas in my parent's car, which was more of a nuisance for a young boy.

Not having lived through those tough times in history like the Spanish flu or even the Great Depression, I have only accounts from those who lived through it. It made a huge lasting impression on them and created life-long habits for them of things that I would never have thought to do.

What we are experiencing is, so far, not as bad as those times, but I still wonder what will be the lasting impression the pandemic leaves us with?

So far, besides a lot of hoarding and hysteria and homemade masks, what will be the stories people tell of 2020 in one hundred years?

I hope that it is remembered more for the acts of kindness and generosity that I see from people all over the country and world. 

Acts like the teacher who delivered donated computers to all of his special needs students who were at home. The church that started a food drive to deliver groceries to the families in the community who had none. Maybe even the non-profit that set up a hospital in Central Park would be a better remembrance than the silliness I see on the news every night. 

It seems to me that the good far outways the bad but the bad gets all the press. 

That is why I loved seeing John Krasinski doing his youtube videos called Some Good News. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOe_y6KKvS3PdIfb9q9pGug

And that is why I started doing Mr. Bob tells a story. https://youtu.be/JGdY7E4Pjug If we each can do just one thing for our friends, neighbors, or even strangers, it will change the world. 

I know that not everyone is in a place to be able to help, but here is the good news. Those of us who are, are here for you! Share what is going on so we can do our best to do what God called us to do. That is, to love our neighbor as ourselves.