Perhaps this will be the last Shabbat encouragement of this name, Coronavirus, not because we are past it, but rather, to help it not be the first thing we think about, at least when seeking an encouragement. With that in mind, I will end this series with an acrostic:

C – Courage – endlessly shown by those at the medical forefront both in treatment and in research, but also, by those putting themselves at risk for others – grocery workers, farmers and producers in the supply chain, truck drivers, delivery people, warehouse workers, first responders, firefighters and police, National Guard and military, ambulance drivers, garbage collectors, volunteers providing meals, clothes, shelter, mask makers, so many others. . .

O – Others – a time to prioritize others.

R – Resilience – we must have strength to survive well and learn for the next time of challenge, to be able to bounce back by caring for ourselves emotionally, to think positively during a time of great negative news, influences, information, and tragedy.

O – Openness – to listening to others, to new ideas, to thinking outside of the box, to differences of opinion, to change.

N – Nature – escape to its beauty as often as possible, its unchanging yet ever-changing splendor, this spring season of new life, hope for the future.

A – Attitude of Acceptance – live in the now, accepting what is and responding as you can with what you know today, thinking less about the truly unknowable what ifs, having faith that HaShem has this.

V – Victory! Yes, there will be victory for humanity if we make the choices that bring us closer to lives with God at the center, co-creating in those decisions by seeking His Word and Counsel rather than making our own self determinative, often self-focused, self-centered, solutions cut off from Him and from the reality that we are part of a one world, interconnected family of mankind.

I – Illness, clearly the most menacing in our lifetimes, this is, to be vanquished by concerted efforts.

R – Respite, so very much needed for the medical workers, for those on the front line as well as for each of us, to take the much needed time away each day to recharge our batteries and get good rest, take a break from the news.

U – Unity, we are in this together.

S – Son of Man, Son of God, too complex of a topic for a one liner, but the most important message of all – immersion of our souls in the reality of Yeshua, HaMashiach.

Shabbat shalom,
Diane