March 14, 2020

Putting Things in Perspective

“You know what people are missing as they hoard toilet paper and hand sanitizer? They are missing that our lives are gifts.

“You know what people are missing as they hoard toilet paper and hand sanitizer? They are missing that our lives are gifts. We are blessed to ever be here in the first place. Everything we have in life is a blessing. Our families. Our homes. Our jobs. You may think you earned it all, but none of it would be without a loving God who created you and the world.”

An Uber driver told me this. On one of my last Uber rides for a while, I suspect. He is Muslim and seemed to have some real peace about him as he drove me to Catholic Mass, the same day that Mass cancellations became a thing here in the United States. I knew it was happening in Rome, but, gosh, it sure did seem to happen here quick.

I read one testimony from a Christian American woman in Wuhan, who reflected on her time in quarantine at the 48-day mark. She, her family and her neighbors have experienced community like never before. They know each other better, make room for each other with more sensitivity.

I also keep thinking about a man named Patrick who gave me a hug outside Saint Patrick’s Cathedral not too long ago. I can’t help but wonder what is happening to Patrick today. He had talked to me about maybe going to see folks at Catholic Charities, but he told me how he prefers sleeping on the street rather than a homeless shelter. He told me about the beautiful sleeping bag someone had given him as a gift – “it really keeps you warm!” – that was stolen at one of the shelters. It’s colder, but generally safer on the streets, he’s concluded. Every time I hear people talk about staying home and self-quarantining, I think of Patrick. How does Patrick take care of himself in these circumstances? Now that many of our lives are being upended, might we care to think a bit more about the likes of Patrick? Might we pray and find out what we might do to help support services that make sure people like Patrick aren’t overlooked in a health crisis?

People like Patrick make a real impression on me because, despite their challenges and the cold brutal reality of their lives, they have a spirit of gratitude and goodness about them. Patrick seems to have hope. I obviously don’t know his whole story and all its complications, but there seems a simplicity about him, of the kind we could all afford to rediscover.

Another conversation I had as everything was starting to shut down was with an 80-year-old man named Dennis. He told me about his adult son, Michael, who had a good job but eventually lost it because of Crohn’s disease. Dennis told me that while he is applying for government assistance, there’s nothing yet. But government assistance isn’t what Dennis wants for his son; Dennis wants him to know he is loved. “I’m not going to get a job at my age and my skills anywhere,” he says. And so, he drives for Uber. “And I can’t stop,” he tells me. “I don’t know what I’m going to do if everything really shuts down.”

There are people truly struggling on a good day, financially, trying to fulfill their obligations and have some semblance of a healthy life with healthy relationships. Will this time of coronavirus help us see each other and help each other? This is a time that should change us. Our lives may not be what we thought they were. Our sense of security may have been completely unfounded. If we are Christians, do we really trust in God alone, or have those just been words we have occasionally said in rote prayer?

For how much of our lives have we heard the saying “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”? That seems crass at a time with such a dangerous virus spreading and taking lives. But during this religious season of Lent, at the time of the change in the seasons, too, this virus that is changing the way we live for months can also give us new life.

COPYRIGHT 2020 United Feature Syndicate

Who We Are

The Patriot Post is a highly acclaimed weekday digest of news analysis, policy and opinion written from the heartland — as opposed to the MSM’s ubiquitous Beltway echo chambers — for grassroots leaders nationwide. More

What We Offer

On the Web

We provide solid conservative perspective on the most important issues, including analysis, opinion columns, headline summaries, memes, cartoons and much more.

Via Email

Choose our full-length Digest or our quick-reading Snapshot for a summary of important news. We also offer Cartoons & Memes on Monday and Alexander’s column on Wednesday.

Our Mission

The Patriot Post is steadfast in our mission to extend the endowment of Liberty to the next generation by advocating for individual rights and responsibilities, supporting the restoration of constitutional limits on government and the judiciary, and promoting free enterprise, national defense and traditional American values. We are a rock-solid conservative touchstone for the expanding ranks of grassroots Americans Patriots from all walks of life. Our mission and operation budgets are not financed by any political or special interest groups, and to protect our editorial integrity, we accept no advertising. We are sustained solely by you. Please support The Patriot Fund today!


The Patriot Post and Patriot Foundation Trust, in keeping with our Military Mission of Service to our uniformed service members and veterans, are proud to support and promote the National Medal of Honor Heritage Center, the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, both the Honoring the Sacrifice and Warrior Freedom Service Dogs aiding wounded veterans, the National Veterans Entrepreneurship Program, the Folds of Honor outreach, and Officer Christian Fellowship, the Air University Foundation, and Naval War College Foundation, and the Naval Aviation Museum Foundation. "Greater love has no one than this, to lay down one's life for his friends." (John 15:13)

★ PUBLIUS ★

“Our cause is noble; it is the cause of mankind!” —George Washington

Please join us in prayer for our nation — that righteous leaders would rise and prevail and we would be united as Americans. Pray also for the protection of our Military Patriots, Veterans, First Responders, and their families. Please lift up your Patriot team and our mission to support and defend our Republic's Founding Principle of Liberty, that the fires of freedom would be ignited in the hearts and minds of our countrymen.

The Patriot Post is protected speech, as enumerated in the First Amendment and enforced by the Second Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America, in accordance with the endowed and unalienable Rights of All Mankind.

Copyright © 2024 The Patriot Post. All Rights Reserved.

The Patriot Post does not support Internet Explorer. We recommend installing the latest version of Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, or Google Chrome.