The Latest Concerning COVID-19

COVID-19 is a very rapidly evolving situation, so information released today may be outdated by tomorrow.  As I have said here in the past, I am not going to try to publish facts here.  It is better that you rely on official sources for that.  I suggest the CDC website, your local and state health departments, and even your local hospital are good places to help you stay informed. 

I'd love to be able to tell you that things are getting back to normal, but that really is not the case just yet.  We don't know when that will happen.  There really is so much we don't know.  That is often the case with anything new. 

One very sad thing I can report on here is the increase of hate crimes against Asians.  Hate of course is never a good thing. The Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council received a whopping 1,135 calls from people reporting incidents of abuse towards Asian-Americans in just the first two weeks after it launched its new "STOP AAPI HATE reporting center" back in March.  I keep seeing firsthand accounts posted on social media too.  It is appalling that people attack others, often physically, in such hateful manners.  While we don't see an end to COVID-19, the hate is something we can stop immediately.

 

We can also slow the spread of the virus and it is remarkable to see how many people are really trying.  Sadly, this is also an area where there are folks who are not getting onboard.  Staying at home and away from others makes a huge difference.  This has been proven.  We need to do this.  Also, let's all improve our hygiene especially in the area of washing our hands.

 

I'm sorry I cannot give any kind of meaningful update here.  There is good out there.  I keep hearing wonderful reports of kindness.  Please do share some of those in the comments.  Hopefully soon we will have some real encouraging news.  Until then, stay safe!

Ten Ways To Love

I came across a poster the other day that I want to share with you this morning. It's a wonderful message: 10 Ways to Love.

 

Listen without interrupting.  Speak without accusing.  Give without sparing.  Pray without ceasing.  Answer without arguing.  Share without pretending.  Enjoy without complaint.  Trust without wavering.  Forgive without punishing.  Promise without forgetting.

I should point out that these ten come from The Bible.  They don't appear together as a single list but rather they are found in various sources.  Four of them come from Proverbs.  One is from the letter of Saint James.  The other half of these are from writings of Saint Paul.

I think it's a beautiful list!  Did they leave anything out?  Perhaps when things get tough or is tension builds, this would be a great reminder of some very simple acts that are an important part of love!

Help from Jeremy Lin

Basketball great Jeremy Lin, who has played with eight teams, including the Golden State Warriors and the LA Lakers, and who won an NBA championship with the Toronto Raptors last year, is a hero of mine for something that has nothing to do with his athletic ability.  Jeremy is a hero because he makes a positive difference every single day!

Of course I think he's a great basketball player and I was certainly past of the Linsanity!  I watch his fun youtube videos too.  Jeremy is also a faithful Christian.  Oh and no matter how famous he becomes, he still seems humble and grounded.

I want to say something though about Jeremy's response to COVID-19. Earlier this morning he tweeted "Be The Light!! Launching a COVID-19 campaign. I'm donating $500,000 and matching an additional $500,000."  He really pours his heart out in a piece he wrote for The Players Tribune that you can read HERE.  In it Jeremy calls us all to action and says "I believe we’ll be proud of what we see.  Each act of goodness matters.  Each positive choice will add up.  In adversity, we will persevere. In challenges, we will overcome.  In fear, we will have faith.  And in darkness, we will be Light."  Jeremy of course is correct!

So, what can we do?  We can follow Jeremy's lead and donate through his foundation at http://covid.jeremylinfoundation.org/ The Feeding America food bank network and Direct Relief are both linked from his page.  We can also share this information so that it reaches as many people as possible.  Certainly we cannot all match Jeremy Lin in terms of the size of our donation, but that doesn't matter.  It all adds up and together it makes a huge difference.

 

I am so thankful for the Jeremy Lins in our world who always make a difference, and who especially help in times of crisis.  They are truly the lights in darkness.

Not how I planned it

How many of my Easters have not been like I planned? Eight years ago my aunt died on Palm Sunday, so Easter Day that year was not as joyful as planned. Mom loved Easter and wanted to take my sister and I to dinner back in 2013 on Easter Day, but six days earlier she passed away. Easter was not as planned. (I will however always be grateful to two dear friends who took my sister and I out for dinner). 

 

These were not the only Easters that didn't go as planned, but I don't usually write about myself here.  You may have experienced some Easters that were not as planned.  This year is certainly NOT going to be how I planned it.  Nothing these days is how we would have planned. 

 
Easter though is not about me nor is it about you.   Whether you are marking the springtime arrival of flowers popping up in your garden, or the resurrection of Jesus Christ, Easter is about new life and new beginnings.  Social distancing and staying at home was certainly not what any of us planned,  but if Easter has any meaning in our lives, we must be confident that we will make it through this and that new things will be coming.  The expectant waiting leading up to Easter Day, is the same kind of waiting we are all going through, all around the world. 

Now I won't pretend that easy days are ahead, I'm just urging you to believe.  Even though this is not how we planned it, we are hopeful that better days are soon here, and we are confidant that those new beginnings will bring great joy!

 

Remembering Phyllis

Yesterday when I first heard the news, I was sad, very sad.  I cried.  I cried for several minutes. Phyllis Ann Lyon who spent more than sixty years fighting for women's rights, LGBTQ rights, and the rights of everyone, had died at the age of 95.  There have been so many tributes in the past hours, and there will be more.  She deserves it. San Francisco International Airport will be lit in the colors of the rainbow flag this weekend in memory of Phyllis and San Francisco City Hall will also be light in rainbow colors tonight.

The first time I met her was back in the 70s, and although I don't remember much about that meeting, I will never forget her smile.  It seems Phyllis always had a smile. especially when her partner Del Martin was by her side.

Lyon and Martin met in Seattle way back in 1950 when they began working at the same magazine.  Moving to San Francisco, they settled in to the same apartment and spent their lives together.  They were the first same-sex couple married in California.  They were so much more though than just a picture of love. Sadly Martin died from complications of a bone fracture two months after their official marriage.

Lyon and Martin were two of the eight gay women who in 1955 formed the Daughters of Bilitis, the first national lesbian organization in the United States. Lyon was the first editor of their newsletter, The Ladder. In 1995 Lyon was named delegate to the White House Conference on Aging, by Representative Nancy Pelosi.  (Martin was also a delegate, named by Senator Dianne Feinstein).

In recent years you would occasionally see Phyllis around San Francisco, on the street or at an event.  My greatest memory though is of the morning when Proposition 8 was overturned and same-sex marriage in California again became legal, Phyllis was escorted down the grand staircase of San Francisco City Hall by then Lt Governor Gavin Newsom and then Mayor Ed Lee.  Her smile lit up the entire rotunda!

I am still sad that Phyllis is gone, but I am so glad that she and Del were here!  They accomplished so much for so many.  Now dear Phyllis, you don't need to worry about protecting yourself from COVID-19.  There is no social distancing in heaven, so hug you beloved Del. She's been waiting for you!

The ethic of reciprocity or prime directive

The ethic of reciprocity, more commonly referred to as the Golden Rule, is a wonderful life guide. “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you,” is the way most of us have heard it. Wonderful concept it is and it can be found in many different religions, although belief in any god, does not seem to be part of this principle.

Islam is one place where this concept shows up a lot. Look to The Quran and read “Woe to those who, when they have to receive by measure from men, they demand exact full measure, but when they have to give by measure or weight to men, give less than due” (Surah 83 vv. 1–4) There are numerous other references in The Quran that deal with the Golden Rule, without calling it that.

In Jewish custom we find it too. In the book Leviticus it says “You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against your kinsfolk. Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Taoism gives us the same principle. “Regard your neighbor's gain as your own gain, and your neighbor's loss as your own loss.” (T'ai Shang Kan Ying P'ien)

Christians get it in many forms, but Saint Paul’s letter to the Galatians probably says it best: “For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” We hear Jesus preaching this principle in the gospels.

It would seem to me that this ethic is so very basic, that it should be our prime directive. (Yes, just like on Star Trek). How wonderful it would be if we all followed this rule!

We are the frontline

Dr. Michelle Au of Atlanta, GA said something a few weeks ago that made me stop and think.  She said “We are not the frontline in this battle. We as healthcare workers stand in the back. We’re the LAST line of defense. The frontline of this epidemic is YOU, the people in the community, tasked with the challenge of keeping each other safe.”

Wow!  We keep heaping praise on health care workers, as indeed we should, but Dr. Au is correct.  WE - you and I, can make things better.  Not only can we do it, but if we don't, it isn't going to get better.  Staying home is no fun.  I get it.  Right now it is necessary.  There are a number of things we also must be doing.  Some of it is common sense, but ALL if it is necessary.

We need to be staying at home unless it is necessary to purchase food or medicine, see a health care provider, or perform a necessary job.  If you do go out, use a cloth face cover over your mouth and nose. This will help protect others in case you are infected.  Please note (and this is very important), children under 2 and anyone who cannot remove a face cover by themselves should not wear a face cover.  Always maintain at least a six-foot distance between you and other people.  Cleanse your hands often. Wash with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.  Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.  If you cough or sneeze, cover with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.  Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe. 

 

I have so many friends who are nurses or doctors or other health care workers and I respect the important work they are doing all the time, but especially now.  Let's show them the best possible respect by listening to the wise words of Dr. Au and being the frontline we need to be. 

Let's Make A Difference

It's time to play everyone's favorite game (which can easily become everyone's favorite way of life) .   .   . Let's Make A Difference!

 

So do we choose what is behind door number one?  Perhaps we would rather go to door number two?  What do you think?  Is number three the best choice?  Life isn't really a game, but we are faced with many decisions along the way.  Which ones should we choose?  Which ones are best for us, and best for others as well?

 

There are many ways to make a difference in this world, and it isn't just about trading that boiled egg in your purse for a new car (huh?  how many of you got that one?).  Think about it.  What can you do to bring positive change to this world?  What can you do that will be good both now and for generations to come?  What can you do that will really make a difference?

 

The clock is ticking.  It would be nice if we could all make it to the bonus round!  Let's do it!  Let's Make A Difference!!

 

(My guilty pleasure is watching old game shows on buzzr and GSN).

My Aunt Dee

I have to say something about my Aunt Dee (that's want we called her).  Aunt Dee is one of the reasons I like giving back.  She was certainly a giver!  It was eight years ago on this date that she passed away, but there is another reason she is on my heart today.  Aunt Dee like to volunteer, for various organizations, and this is National Volunteer Month.

 

For as long as I can remember Aunt Dee did things that benefit other people. As a schoolteacher she helped shape young minds and in her retirement, she gave by volunteering at her church, at a local hospital, and at a blood center. She told wonderful stories of things that happened at that hospital and about the blood donations. It was her involvement with blood donations that inspired me to do the same.  For the past few years I have coordinated blood drives at the local hospital where I volunteer.  Aunt Dee always had wonderful stories to tell. I don't really know how many hours she spent volunteering, but I could tell she got so much enjoyment from helping out.

 

If you read this regularly, you know this blog is NOT about me, and I rarely talk about me or my family members, but today I just had to say something more about my dear aunt.  She touched countless lives and I know she made a difference in this world!  I hope I can be as good a person as she was!