I worked at the mass-vaccination event this weekend at the Speedway and left with renewed hope in our potential to unite and care for each other despite our political and societal divisions. The event was the epitome of efficiency, like bees in a hive. Each of us was given a role and equally important to that role was our shared goal of helping each other. As he waited for the line to proceed, one of the people I vaccinated stared at the scene, hearing the spontaneous cheers every few minutes. I noticed his attention and said, “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” He replied, “I have never seen so many people working so hard with so much joy.”
As the first cars rolled onto the track, the tent spontaneously erupted into celebration. Truly there are deep divisions in our country, but just as true is the fact that we remain united in ways that we fail to recognize. Our vaccination event proved that simply asking for help can still result in thousands of people responding to celebrate and care for each other because it is the right thing to do. The spirit of community I witnessed this weekend was inspiring. By focusing on what unites us we can nurture our community to be stronger. Better to assume our neighbor has good intentions and respond with kindness, knowing that even the smallest of contributions makes a difference in reaching our potential as being truly united.
Rebecca Thurner Longley
Bow