Dear Planet Earth

-Kami Marland Gilmour

"Dear Planet Earth and Fellow Human Beings…

I’ve often wondered what would happen if the world experienced an urgent global crisis and if it would bring out the best—or the worst—in humanity. I imagined the scenario as something catastrophic like I’ve seen in the movies, such as a nuclear war, a collision with a giant asteroid, or alien invasion.

Fortunately COVID-19 isn’t currently as horrifying as other scenarios, and offers the perfect opportunity for a radical shift in mindset that’s not simply about our own preservation, but how we can act to protect others.

Right now, the people most at risk are the elderly and immuno-compromised. Secondarily, those whose jobs and businesses may be severely impacted to the point of long-term financial devastation. Also, those who work in the medical community, first responders, teachers, leaders, lawmakers, IT departments and millions of people scrambling to find solutions to keep the world as we know it functioning for the rest of us.

If you’re not one of these people, you know and love these people. They are your family members, your neighbors, your co-workers, your friends, and people you rely on for services every single day.

So right now you have a CHOICE. It might not feel like a choice because you’re pissed about travel plans being cancelled, events shutting down, toilet paper running out, your 401K taking a hit…things you can’t control and they’re really sucky and inconvenient.

But please stop being scared, angry, indifferent, and self-absorbed…because you still have a CHOICE.

• You have a CHOICE to be compassionate instead of complaining.

• You have a CHOICE to be obedient and respect the social distancing/quarantine measures that are being set forth by people who know a lot more than you do.

• You have a CHOICE to be diligent about hygiene and sanitizing things you touch.

• You have a CHOICE to reach out to folks at risk and ask how you can support them such as getting them groceries or supplies and making sure they’re OK.

• You have a CHOICE to pray for and offer encouragement for front-line responders and serve them by dropping a meal off at their house, watching their kids, walking their dog, or mowing their lawn.

• You have a CHOICE to donate to food banks or offer financial support to lower income people who may be in dire straits.

All of these choices mean you still have control. And not only that, you have the ability to be an actual part of the solution to a global world issue. How often are we faced with an urgent opportunity where every single human being can be a helper?

That's a pretty amazing position to be in, and we've been officially called to this challenge.

I believe in humanity. And I believe collectively, we’ve got this!"