East side finds silver linings to pandemic living
By Peter Leidy, neighborhood resident
Weeks ago, I started asking “What is something positive you heard or saw or did today?” and “Where are you finding or creating silver linings during this time?” I asked myself, people nearby and those across social media.
I was struck at the time by how much light was around in these dark times, and I wanted even more. Please understand, I don’t take lightly the suffering, illness and dying going on around us, and disproportionately for communities of color. This is obviously a major crisis, unlike anything most of us have ever experienced.
We’re working on flattening the curve in Wisconsin and the U.S. Our lives are upside-down. Businesses are failing, folks are losing jobs, and tragically, people are dying. This pandemic is devastating.
When I began asking the questions, I was in the midst of a weekend of light in the darkness. My wife Betsy and I were on our front porch about to take a walk, when I saw a young family out front looking around our yard, with what appeared to be a list in hand.
“Are you on a scavenger hunt?” I called.
“Yeah!” yelled one of the children.
“Anything on your list we can help you find?” I replied.
“We need a fur coat!”
I smiled and glanced at Betsy. We were thinking the same thing: good luck finding that on the east side of Madison.
“But it doesn’t have to be real fur,” said another kid.
“Hang on — I might have something,” yelled Betsy as she went to the closet.
At this point one of the adults clarified: “It can be fur or something that resembles fur. And we need a picture of a man wearing it — or someone who identifies as a man.” I couldn’t help smiling. I love Madison.
Betsy arrived with a small Sherpa jacket, which I happily attempted to put on, meeting the man criteria on both counts. Pictures were taken, and they were on their way, thanking us with “We’re gonna (sic) win for sure!”
On our walk we saw people we hadn’t seen in weeks. We met red-winged blackbirds scoping out nesting sites by the Yahara River. We found colorful appreciative messages on sidewalks. We heard more sounds of nature than traffic. We got messages about opportunities to help our community in a variety of ways. What was coming into focus was what really matters.
What if we could find ways to slow down like this without a pandemic? What if we felt the urgency to help others, look out for those who are lonely, and appreciated all the gifts around us, in normal times? To paraphrase Benedictine monk David Steindl-Rast, If we could live each day as if it were our first day and our last day, then it would be a very good day.
And so I’ve been trying to observe, and listen and create. I’ve had moments of fear and sadness, yes. But also moments of deep gratitude and joy.
Here are a few more examples of positivity from near and far (note: some of these came in before the safer at home declaration).
Nancy: “A complete stranger who was ahead of me in line at a convenience store bought my coffee along with his purchase.”
Andy: “People saying ‘I love you, how can I help?’”
Debbie: “I had a student with anger issues make me a card, saying thanks for what I do.”
Jennifer: “I saw the beautiful moon this morning.”
Gay: “I will be putting children’s books in my Little Free Library every day until I run out since the kids are now home. (I’m setting up a disinfectant system.)”
Minnie: “My neighbors knocked on my door and moved a heavy TV stand for me.”
The numbers of people out and about, along with less vehicle traffic (and jet traffic!) has been a welcome part of this new way of being.
We’re making the best of it, noticing the light. So when you pass by on our block you might see us giving 10s. You get a 10 just for being you. For being with your people, your pet, on your bike, in your wheelchair, on your skateboard, on your run. You are perfect the way you are. We’ll get through this. Everybody gets a 10!
Peter recently began a blog, “Just Curious,” at peterleidy.com/blog.
This article originally appeared in the May/June 2020 issue of the Eastside News.
