This is one of the darkest times this world has encountered. A different type of war from an unseen enemy has attacked. Healthcare workers & first responders fighting on the frontlines sadly lacking the tools needed, nameless people sick and dying with numbers hard to comprehend, unprecedented unemployment rates, people scared to open a package from the outside, scared of running out of supplies and money along with the anxiety they will catch “IT”. We all sense the darkness and yet…And Yet… It’s Spring!

The sky is still blue, the clouds still floating above, the moon and stars still shining, the rivers still flowing, the crops still growing, the flowers still blooming, the birds still flying. And yet…the woodpeckers are still burying their nuts in my roof, the squirrels still climbing the trees, the clock is still ticking, and the sun is still rising. I have found this quite remarkable and have felt an unexpected lightness from it.

Though we are still filled with fear, anxiety, a sense of loss, grief and isolation, we must STILL, now more than ever, count our blessings…however few they might be. We can still breathe in the fresh air of spring and take moments to find joy in those tiny treasures the world still has to offer.

As the world still turns on its axis, this crisis jolted me into remembering what I still DO HAVE to be grateful for…like the sounds of my dog snoring, children laughing, the teapot boiling for my favorite tea.   It’s certainly not easy…but I am determined to find at least ONE moment a day to pause to remember those we have lost and to also be glad for the teeny tiniest of blessings in the here and now. In this way, I feel I might be able to honor all those vast numbers of people who have passed way before their time and the appreciation of the tiny treasures in my life will help me to “Stay Strong, Stay Smart, Stay Safe and… Stay Hopeful.”