The coronavirus pandemic has isolated thousands of Americans, forcing most adults to take refuge at home and avoid social situations. But community is not out of reach completely. Not yet.
Just outside of a Connecticut nursing home last week, 90-year-old Bob Shellard stood holding balloons and a giant card that read, “I’ve loved you 67 years and still do.” He was celebrating his 67th wedding anniversary with his wife, Nancy, who stood by a second-floor window while a nurse relayed messages between the two. Nancy’s nursing home is one of many that have blocked visitors from entering to protect its residents from COVID-19.
This is the first year Bob and Nancy Shellard have ever been apart, their daughter, Laura, said. And Bob isn’t sure when he’ll see his wife again, but he hopes it will be soon. “I want her down with me,” he said, “but I know she can’t be.”
In a Chicago apartment building, residents were greeted by a simple note on the front door, posted by tenant Dakota Brown. “Howdy neighbor,” the note began, “I’m Dakota. I live up in Apartment 3W. In the current state of things, it is important that those of us who can help, do.” Brown offered to pick up groceries and other necessities for his immunocompromised and elderly neighbors who are unable to leave their apartments.
“I think it’s important that at least those of us on the same block, for now, can rely on each other,” he said. “And know that we can rely on each other before it gets any worse. It’s just our human duty. It’s our societal duty to just help each other when you can, especially in times like this.”
And in New York City, a group of music students from Oregon stood outside of Carnegie Hall, unsure what to do. The young musicians were supposed to perform at the most esteemed performance hall in the nation this week, but at the last minute, their concert was canceled due to the city’s new social restrictions. There were tears at first, said the students’ orchestra director, Anna Mersereau, but not for long. The students walked down to Times Square, where they pulled out their string instruments and began to play.
“We’re always probably going to remember this as the trip we were going to play at Carnegie Hall,” said 17-year-old Christian Hall. “But now it’s the trip we played at Times Square.”
As the coronavirus continues to spread, it will be easy to give in to fear and uncertainty. But kindness is still possible, joy is still within reach, and community is still present, even from a distance.
