Day 31 of social distancing in Charlotte. Month 4 of having COVID-19 in the states. We have reluctantly relinquished the thoughts of travel, card nights, brewery tours, and dinner with friends to substitute time inside for work, reading, and watching the news.

I read somewhere that this pandemic would create an aftermath and way of life that was our equivalent of the Great Depression. I remember talking to my grandmother when she was little. She told me about how her and her sister only received one pair of shoes a year. And three pieces of candy each. She would eat all of her candy, and her sister would hold hers for long periods of time. As they both aged, they bought clothes and shoes in surplus to supplement the times without the same when they were young. As well as candy.

I hate to think this new way of life will come to that. As a small business, and personally, it’s difficult for me (as well as Summer, so she tells me) to not get bogged down in the depression that comes from being inside daily. Businesses and humans do not flourish in these times. People are sick, or they know others who are. We can’t see our families. We can’t visit our friends. We can’t travel to new places. Small businesses are out of money. People are laid off. People are going without food and water, and basic necessities of livelihood.

In the middle of all of this, we have both tried to remember how we can help our communities. Our families, our friends, our Charlotte business community, and beyond. Ultimately, we are all people, and we are all struggling in one way or another. But, there is light at the end of the tunnel. There is federal relief for businesses now via the aid by paycheck protection and economic injury plans. There are stimulus packages. There will be a time when we are working together again in the same location without worrying about transfer of illness.

In the meantime, we have chosen to see the good portions of this time, while also taking the time to help others from 6 foot away. We have our health, and so do our families and friends, so we are grateful. We have food, water, and jobs that have us employed currently. We pray daily and meditate on the good news of people to be healed, comforted, and supplemented where they are needed for their own physical and economic needs. We chose our donation for this month to be to the Meals on Wheels in our local area, to support seniors and others who may not be able to reach their own nourishment. We hope that whatever small amount there is to do to help others, that we all choose to do so, so that together we can make one larger difference in hard times.