The Moody Blues asked us to stop and smell the roses, as life is too short. Here are the first two stanzas of their poignant song “Tuesday afternoon.”
“Tuesday afternoon
I’m just beginning to see
Now I’m on my way
It doesn’t matter to me
Chasing the clouds away
Something calls to me
The trees are drawing me near
I’ve got to find out why
Those gentle voices I hear
Explain it all with a sigh”
We seem to have many clouds gathering around us. Yes, we must see the clouds and act accordingly. No question. But, we do have lives to lead. So, be smart and still do things to enjoy our world. Walks in the park or woods will see less contamination from the dreaded C word. If you encounter other human beings – give them some space, but still meet and greet. You need not shake a hand to have a conversation.
Ring up a friend or loved one and say “Hi, I was thinking about you.” The best line from the movie “Yesterday,” about a young man who wakes up from an accident and is the only person to remember The Beatles, comes near the end. A profound older man advises the young man that life is simple, “when you find the girl you love, tell her that you love her.”
This piece of advice can be modified to fit most any relationship. Tell you mom (or dad) that you love her (him). Tell your friend that you were thinking of her or him. The Moody Blues should be remembered for more than just their wonderful orchestrations. Their words had meaning. So, start “chasing the clouds away.”
I realize fully this C word has caused illnesses and even death. I realize the social distancing has caused some to lose jobs or get furloughed. Reach out to those folks, in particular. They may need a reference, a helping hand, some groceries, some cash. But, a kind word or reach out will help as a start.
musingsofanoldfart 
I love the way Italy finds ways of still having a social life with its balcony concerts. Nobody, not even a virus can keep us from being “together”. There is always a way to show that we are stronger and that nobody needs to be lonely.
Erika, I am glad you highlighted the Italy serenade. It may be the exemplar for camaraderie during this outbreak. Keith
Yes, indeed, Keith!
What I’m finding most difficult, most deeply depressing about this is the response of the public in general. I have asked myself if I really wish to continue to be a part of the human race these days. Your post is great and much-needed, dear Keith. Thank you.
Jill, many thanks. I think the good stuff going on gets overlooked. I love Erika’s mention of the Italian neighborhood serenading each other from the balcony. Keith
As I was working on my ‘good people’ post for tomorrow, I made an interesting discovery. There are a lot of people stepping up to the plate during this time of the pandemic crisis, and they get widely reported in the UK media such as The Guardian, BBC, and Reuters, but … in the U.S. news, almost not at all. I wonder why? All of my stories came from one of the UK sources, for the U.S. news gave me nada.
Jill, our media is biased toward conflict. The good things are less newsworthy, which is a shame. For some reason, we also like to build people up beyond reasonable, then tear them down when they fail to maintain that lofty place. Keith