There is a chill in the air on this early day in May. It rained all of the morning, but now the sun is shinning bright. Although I walk the campus of Southern Illinois University @ Carbondale, on a daily basis, I seldom see a cardinal. And, when I do see one they never remain still long enough for me to snap a photo of them. Today was a fantastic Friday…as a cardinal posed for me…for several shots. I have heard it said that the little things make the difference…but this was a big deal to me! Yesterday, on campus, I heard peels of laughter, and when I turned to see what the hilarity was about…I saw three young women…roller skating. Now this may be a common sight in your neck of the woods, but I had not witnessed anyone roller skating…for a long time. I attempted to roller skate, as a boy, but did not succeed.
As I walk campus…I often hear the laughter of families that are enjoying each others company in the lovely surroundings of SIUC. Sunday is Mother’s Day. My mom raised me singlehandedly. We saw the worse of times…and the best of times…together. I received my love of books from mom. She belonged to the Book of the Month Club, and it was a regular occurrence to see her reading on a nightly basis. She talked to me about what she was reading….And I was fascinated! Mom had a big heart! If you needed a dollar, and she had one to give…it was yours. Mom was the living illustration of empathy. When a friend of hers was hurting or crying…mom wept with them. She listened…totally and completely. Mom called me, kid or kiddo, for much of my life. To this day, someone of whom I am fond, I will slip and call them kiddo…although I have heard that this term of endearment is no longer appreciated.
I cannot help but consider the multitude of mothers that are nurses and who are risking their lives to care for their fellow humans during our 2020 pandemic. The abject fear that they must be feeling each time that they return home and hope and pray that they are not bringing danger…or… death to their families.
We are living in an unprecedented historic time. On one side of us is the undeniable reality of a worldwide pandemic. On the other side of us…is unemployment numbers that have not been seen since the Great Depression. There are more problems facing us than we had imagined possible. If there was ever a time that as we trod upon the stage of life…we must play our part…well…it is now!
Many are experiencing depression that is devastating. They need our help. Many of us are hungry…which is the old term for food insecure. They need our help.
If our government is determined to help the rich, among us, they certainly should extend funds to victims of the economic tsunami that has engulfed our nation and the world. Not just once, as peoples’ bills do not occur yearly…but rather monthly!
We will be the people of history. One hundred years from now children will be reading regarding how we faced the pandemic in 2020. Let it be said that we protected the grandmothers and the grandfathers and the members of our human family…
The Jazz Man 