“In the rush to return to normal, use this time to consider which parts of normal are worth rushing back to.”

                                                                    – Dave Hollis

Before you read any further I want you to do something.  Copy and paste the quote above to  another document.  It doesn’t matter what, it could be tomorrow’s calendar, or your notes.  Finished?  Take a minute to reflect on how simple that was.  Can any of you remember the process prior?  Think about how often you use the cut and paste function; for me it is a daily activity. …

“Whatever is my right is also the right of another;
and it becomes my duty to guarantee as well as to possess.”

On December 23, 1776, Thomas Paine penned the following words that would serve to inspire American patriots, and change the direction of a young nation.  “THESE are the times that try men’s souls.  The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.

…

“The only thing we have to fear,

Is fear itself!

                                                                                                        – Winston Churchill

The headlines of every major newspaper in the world all speak to the same issue; we are at war with a common enemy; a contagion called COVID-19.  We know little about it except that it is powerful, hidden, and responsible for 365,000 deaths worldwide.  The United States has seen over 100,000 deaths, and the virus has put what was otherwise, a healthy national economy, into a tailspin.  It has also changed our personal lives; social distance has become the norm. …

 “Our flag does not fly because the wind moves it.
It flies with the last breath of each soldier who died protecting it.”

A recent article in the Washington Post carried the following headline, “The Coronavirus Death Toll Just Surpassed Vietnam: Here’s Why that Comparison is Fraught.” The author provides a chart showing the number of American soldiers who died in conflict, beginning with the American Revolution and ending with Post-9/11 conflicts.  The data reveals that in a period of three months, the COVID-19 virus has taken more lives than American killed in the Vietnamese War. …

“The future is now. Roll up your sleeves and let your passion flow. 

The country we carry in our hearts is waiting.”

— Bruce Springsteen

It seems like yesterday that I paused on the sidewalk in NYC to enjoy the morning sun while having a cup of coffee.  People hurried by on their way to work or to meetings, like the one I was about to attend.  Finishing my coffee, I joined the parade and within a few moments arrived at my destination. …