A holiday wish during this pandemic

As we enter another holiday season under the uncertain storm of the pandemic, I have two wishes. The first is that we might all agree that Covid poses a real threat especially to those with certain risk factors. If we can agree upon that, than it follows that as a society, everybody, including those who are not higher risk, should do their part to protect those at risk, and prevent overwhelming our hospitals, and minimize death and suffering, each in their own way. The truth is hard to find. Do masks work? Are vaccines safe? Are there effective drugs to treat those infected? I think most people know my opinion, but I’m not pretending to know all the answers, and here today, I am only asking people to agree that Covid is real, seek the truth and do what they think is right. In this rural county, I think that might be enough.

Second, I’m wishing even harder that we might regain our humanity. In 1959, the philosopher, Bertrand Russell was asked what advice he would give to future generations. He gave a two minute answer that is especially prophetic to our struggles these past two years. I encourage you to watch his answer. In it he discusses the search for truth and then says, “love is wise, hatred is foolish.” I think I understand his reference to love as more than just romantic, passionate or parental love, but also to mean empathy, compassion, tolerance and general good will to your fellow human beings. Hatred is more than the loud and violent type from which we absolve ourselves. Hatred can also be quiet, smoldering and ignorant. We have all hated during this pandemic. We have wished ill will upon someone for what they said, or did or believed. My second wish is that we all try our best to love instead. Try to have tolerance, forgiveness and good will towards our neighbor regardless of whether he shares our opinion on politics, vaccines, masks or Ivermectin. Perhaps worse than causing illness, the Covid virus, with the help of social media, has divided us and cultivated hate. The Covid virus may linger after this pandemic, but it will be a greater tragedy if we are unable to eradicate the seeds of hate it has sown.