I wake this morning filled with gratitude, aware of the power of words of gratitude.  They have deeper meaning these days.  They’re offered with true appreciation and not as a generic response or a habit.  Actually not much comes as a habit these days.  Mindfulness is needed as a resource and ally as we are led through our days.   

This pandemic has increased awareness of interdependence, and our need to appreciate those who do the work that supports us  all.  We now know what is essential, and we are creative in covering other tasks.  

Businesses need to open because people need and want to work.  I kept my appointment with my dental hygienist yesterday.  I called from outside to say I’d arrived.  They called me back when it was safe to go in.  The walls were bare, and all was empty, open, and sterile.  

He cleaned my teeth the old-fashioned way, no ultrasonic cleaner.  It felt more intimate, and was quieter.  We talked about his children, and his time home with them, and how much he appreciated that, and also how he needs to work.  Unemployment was running out.  He is young and only has two cavities but stress had caused him to grind his teeth so much, one of them cracked.  

When I got money from the automatic teller,  the woman behind me joked how funny it is to go to a bank, even outside a bank, wearing a mask.  All seems friendly perhaps because it’s so empty.  There’s plenty of places to park, and the few people that are around stand out in clear distinction.  My awareness expands and opens. I’m curious like a cat.  

From what I understand if we wear masks, wear them religiously, and don’t gather in large groups, and keep our social distance, we will be able to keep businesses open, and accomplish daily tasks.

I think of what our parents and grandparents went through with World War I, the depression, and World War II.  Is it too much to wear a mask?   We’re in this together.  My breath is yours.  

My eight month old grandson understands. He crawls now and we lock eyes, so he knows how close he can come, and then he puts his head down and we both bow from a safe distance, touched.