Contentment During Crisis: Fight it by Making Yourself Essential
New Castle resident Sam Baughn produced a call to action he wants to share with our audience, as part of an effort to lift up those most impacted by the crisis. He is pushing for the message to go viral in the hopes of inspiring readers from across the region and beyond to embrace the six challenges he proposed.
By Sam Baughn
I cried last week when an old friend died
I cried last week when my brother told me not to come home
I cried last week because I hadn’t seen my kids in two weeks, and won’t for many more
I cried and broke
But now, I am on the other side.
I am thankful for my friends and family who gave me a virtual shoulder on which to cry
I am thankful that the flowers are still blooming
I am thankful that the birds are still singing
I am thankful that my team and I are able to work from home
I wonder what you are going through
I wonder on whose shoulder you cry
I wonder what I can do to help you
I wonder what we, who are not “essential” and can work from home, can do
For everybody and especially the “we” that are fortunate to work from home, I have a challenge: make yourself essential in your community, every day.
I CHALLENGE you to:
– call someone who is home bound each day
– write a heart-felt note/email twice a week to your friends and loved ones
– run errands, cut the grass, or pick up the mail for our brothers and sisters who can’t or don’t have time since they are on the front lines of this battle
– identify and do due diligence on existing, local charities that are designed to help those that need a bridge to the other side of the virus; if one doesn’t exist, create one
– work with your employer to provide expeditious help to those charities that most need it now
– divert your 401(k) savings for a period and instead contribute to charities that are bridging the gap and/or buy groceries for the gig employees that you know and love
I challenge you to do as many of these as you can, as often as you can. You may not work for an “essential business”, but you, too, can step up and make yourself essential in your community – and do your part to make it a slightly better place during this crisis.
Will you join me?
Please share this message on your social media accounts using the hashtags below, and challenge others.
#TheContentedChallenge
#MakeYourselfEssential
#COHELP-20
Baughn is a Westchester resident and the father of two; he works in the financial services industry.
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