Ode to Pandemic Lifesavers
Including another enormous workforce of frontline heroes
Short Intro
I blame the Monday government guy. He was so darn friendly and helpful. Similar to a host of other pleasant experiences I enjoyed in the last so many weeks.
Weeks? It feels like a slew of months since we last went about our everyday activities.
That boy from the gov’ and 27 other individuals inspired the following:
Ode to Pandemic Lifesavers
If a magic space ship arrives from a hidden galaxy and whisks this virus to never-places, for eternity we will salute our health care workers, fire and police departments.
Staffed with individuals sworn to protect every person in good times and in bad. Viewing their oaths and obligations as invisible yet permanent tattoos on their hearts and minds.
These selfless people, when they began their careers, committed to put themselves at risk. Daily, their actions speak louder than any written contract.
Those of us, so far, still walking above the ground are alive because of these three groups of altruistic human beings.
Thinking now about our loved ones, recently yanked from earth and no longer sitting at our dinner tables, pretzeled around us in bed, bouncing our children and lighting up our days. We know how meticulously medical, fire and law enforcement persevered to prevent any breath from becoming their last. We can never repay our debt to you.
The liability side of our lifetime balance sheet or if you prefer, your net worth statement has another entry. This one is touching on the heels of our revered champions in health, fire and police.
Too often, we forget this next group* or worse, take them for granted. We cannot.
This group* daily, enables us all to live. While we wait for those aliens to eradicate the plague descended among our ranks. Because live we must since the timeline for that dream of help is probably longer than we could ever imagine.
To this next group*of frontline heroes helping us day after day to eke out our revised existence. Know that we could not survive without you.
We understand you accepted your jobs at the outset of your employment years for reasons, good reasons, other than being among the first responders during a worldwide pandemic.
Yet today, you are there for us. Critical members of our rescuer pack. In this lifetime, we will never be able to sufficiently thank you.
Workers in Health care Fire Police and these added essential worker-categories,* so large in number yet, I do my best to list below.
In these dark days, beyond the care you bestow upon us. You point out a vision of shimmering light, beaming relentlessly and high in our sky.
You prove to us there is still hope for humanity. Regardless of too many stories about greed, disrespect, violence, lies, incompetence and glacier-size selfishness. You confirm for us, that there is an intrinsic kindness and generosity that will always in the end WIN.
*Below are numerous categories of front line workers, people of quality and commitment, IN ADDITION to health, fire and police. A complete list is a long one. Always, but especially in coronavirus times, our lives are possible and better because of these folks:
👍public and private transportation staff and drivers 👍taxi and ride-share providers 👍road maintenance teams 👍sanitation crews 👍those who keep our lights working, toilets flowing, taps pouring, internet chugging, heat/air conditioners purring 👍food app delivery workers 👍take out food preparers 👍grocery store and retail workers 👍postal and courier drivers 👍warehouse workers 👍delivery service drivers 👍truck drivers 👍emergency repair people 👍farmers, fishers, processing workers 👍any other group I regretfully and mistakenly omitted
On Tuesday, May 5, 2020, in the New York Times, I found these two articles addressing my topic about the forgotten front line workers. They are linked below.
Dr. Mehmet Yildiz and his impressive team of editors, writers, readers and followers are creating magic at the publication: Illumination. The warmth, support and collaboration fostered within this community are remarkable. Today I am submitting my first article to Illumination. I am excited and thrilled to keep company with such a fine group of talented individuals. Thank you Dr. Y. and the gang.
Below are posts from SIX terrific writers published in ILLUMINATION. (Kevin Buddaeus🦄 Chris Hedges P.G. Barnett Aurora Eliam, CMP, Amy Marley Julia E Hubbel)
In one way or another, these writers highlight aspects of my theme. I could mention 500 Illumuination author’s names, and still, I will miss essential contributions.
Thank you so much for reading my Ode to Pandemic Lifesavers. Thank you also for clicking and reading the work from six of my colleagues.
Suzanne V. Tanner writes all sorts of stuff whenever time permits. Her reinvent your life consulting business vies for much of her time. She also provides services in Side Gig advisory and does contract work on customer retention strategies. Vee finds it challenging to keep her: nose out of a book, hands off of the latest recipe she is testing in the kitchen, feet unglued to some bicycle pedals. This abstention rarely succeeds because her partner-in-crime/love-of-her-life guy is playing the same tune side by side. If you’d like to be in email touch: [email protected]