To Hope, to Love, to Dream

How often we dream, of a peaceful and wondrous world where we all live in unity and love.

This forever elusive and timeless dream of mankind which we all strive to keep alive, is needed now more than ever.

It seems that as soon as we get a tad complacent, take a much needed breath, and exhale, the dream is snatched away like a vapor of steam wafting towards a distant shore.

Before the Pandemic transformed our lives from an acquired complacency, and ushered in a harsh reality, I became part of the community of a quaint, small and charming Airforce Base tucked away in North Dakota, USA. The Dakotas, North and South are rarely mentioned, people hardly know about them. They exist totally off the radar. Which is a good thing. Peace reigns here in silent and quiet dignity.

I mention this because I found such kindness there. People were literally paying it forward with every given opportunity. Nothing was too good for a neighbor to assist another with. If a total stranger needed a helping hand, everyone would do their best to assist. This was a welcome and heartwarming difference from the fast paced city life, where one felt stifled and quite invisible sometimes. I will always extoll the virtues of living in the quiet countryside when compared to the fast pace of city life.

It was absolutely marvelous to reside in this caring and giving atmosphere. Children ran around in as much relative safety as one could safely envision. I took a job which assisted in the transitioning of military personnel in their daily lives, while also being a caregiver for young kids. I was content.

Then the Pandemic hit.

That one solitary moment in time, reversed the outward kindness of souls and sent them withdrawing deep, deep inside a cocoon of fear and anxiety. I know that our intrinsic need to love and be loved is still present, but the majority of confused and unhappy families, friends and brethren far and near, appear to have subdued that much needed camaraderie.

I too, was in a cocoon for a while, a feeling akin to floating in a perpetual limbo of uncertainty. I am waking up slowly, and beginning my re-orientation into a much changed world. A world of masks and social distancing, where fun and laughter seems to have disappeared in one blink of an eye.

What I miss most are the visible, beautiful, happy smiles obscured behind the masks. A cheerful smile can warm the heart and give so many wonderful flavors to your day.

I am truly struggling to find ways of reaching out and embracing others, to reassure them that life is a system of change. Some of these changes will be harsh and seemingly unbearable, but giving up and being hurtful to others is not an option.

What we do to foster kindness and reassurance strongly depends on where we are, and to what degree we are able to offer a helping hand, or offer uplifting words of encouragement. If we need to start small, we should. These changed times have left us all feeling a little introverted. But, this is precisely why we need get more involved in volunteer work, again starting small and moving with the times. There are still restrictions on what we can and cannot do. Maybe just start by encouraging the young ones to become less sedentary, get off the couch, put the electronics down and go out and ride their bikes, or take a brisk walk.

Just saying hello to total strangers as we pass by, seems to be a lost art. I wish to revive this tradition. I used to travel on the subways in NYC, and made sure that I always had small amounts of cash to aid people who were misplaced, and asking for help in the subways or on the streets. There were many. I was advised not to do so, because they may utilize the money given to them for other dubious purposes . But, I see it another way. What if the one person that I decided not to help, is the one person who was really hungry, and I refused to help, leaving the poor soul no better off than before I passed by. It is not totally my decision what a person does with the help I offer to them, it is that I tried my best to offer a tiny bit of help, with the expectation that I tried and hoped for the best. So, I continue to reach out, in my own small way. It fosters hope in my heart.

Today on my early morning walk, I encountered three persons. I decided to stand by my promise to greet everyone with a smile and a hearty hello. The first person I tried to say good morning to, was a mom pushing a baby stroller. I greeted her, she smiled, but did not answer. I understood that, sleepless baby nights. The second person was an older lady walking around the field on which I was walking. She ignored me. I smiled heartily anyway. The third person warmed the 'cockles of my heart'. A young fit jogger. She came running by with a great big smile, and a hearty good morning. WHAT A WONDERFUL DAY THIS WAS GOING TO BE!

I realized then, that I just need to reach one person at a time, and maybe, somehow, a chain reaction will follow. In time opportunities of larger measures and methods of help and aid will follow.

I read a story on Vocal where a writer mentions that her memory of childhood was a revolving front door of kindness which was open to all who needed help. I grew up that way too. My mother carried on a tradition, as her mother did before her. Lending a hand to all, and turning no one away. I am not as good at that as they were, but I do my best at lending a hand to as many persons as I am able to assist.

I have so many thoughts about the ways in which we can assist each other to get through our days in serenity and calm. If my ideas and memories seem to be flitting from one thought process to the next, it is merely my deep desire to see people happy again. I hope that the words make a point, and allows for a cohesive and persuasive argument.

Martin Luther King Jr. paved the way for us all by having great big dreams for mankind. He left really large shoes to fill. The struggles continue as we strive to live up to his expectations for a collaboration of unity and harmony for all of life's creation.

"One hello can change a day. One hug can change a life. One hope can change a destiny.” Lynda C Fell.

I have tried my best to live a giving and caring life, in my own small way. I cannot promise to do great things or even big things. I can however promise to continue doing things on a smaller scale and upgrade as I go, by trying to make the world a better place for our children, family, neighbors and friends.

N.A.