OPINION: As the world shuts down, let’s open our hearts
How we can ensure the vulnerable are kept safe and fed during this confusing time?
South Burnett
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“THE greatness of a nation can be judged by how it treats its weakest member”, has never been a truer statement than it is now.
I don’t think the full impact of coronavirus has really, truly hit me until today.
As I sit at home writing this, I’m seeing constant news pouring in from around the globe showing the serious lockdown measures countries are taking as a state of disaster is officially launched in the US. Meanwhile we drink a cup of tea and nervously nibble at a hot cross bun. (Mum still couldn’t find any toilet paper at the shops this morning and didn’t want to come home empty-handed).
These are scary and unknown times for the majority of us, but for the immune compromised, the elderly and the disabled, the next several weeks will be nothing short of terrifying.
This is the time when we as a community need to open our hearts to those around us who are struggling to get by and are too afraid to reach out and ask for help.
I've been inspired by a beautiful friend of mine who I first met when she came to Kingaroy for a year as a Rotary exchange all the way from Switzerland. Nadine Fankhauser and her sister, have done a letter drop around their little village of Riehen near Basel on Switzerland’s northern border with Germany.
They went around to all of their elderly neighbours offering to do their grocery shopping and deliver messages for them while they are unable to leave their homes.
Another friend of mine living in Brisbane received a similar letter the other day from a friendly pair of neighbours hoping to lighten the burden of those nearby.
This kind of goodness is exactly what the world needs right now and I am encouraging everyone to do a letter drop in their neighbourhood, offering to help out anyone who is unable to leave their home because of self-isolation measures.
Of course, please remember to maintain safe hygiene and social distancing. Stick to text messages, calls or letters and leave the groceries and packages outside the front door to limit exposure to one another.
Now is the time to be kind and think of those who may be alone and confused.
After all, a trouble shared is a trouble halved, so let’s be there for each other.
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