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Coping together in Sullivan County

Moshe Unger - Columnist
Posted 4/23/20

As I'm sitting down to write this article, I'm thinking about all my dear readers. I'm wondering how you are doing in health and overall well-being. Whenever I write, I try to imagine where my …

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Coping together in Sullivan County

Posted

As I'm sitting down to write this article, I'm thinking about all my dear readers. I'm wondering how you are doing in health and overall well-being. Whenever I write, I try to imagine where my readers are in life and what they'd like to hear. I'm living now in my own little world and my hands are full with working from home and with the kids at home. This makes it difficult for me to imagine what you are doing and what I should be writing about.

I'll be delighted to hear from you via email how you are doing and what is on your mind. Please email me at: moshe@jaketv.tv, so I'll know how you are and hopefully it will help me know what to write about in the next installment.

I was reading today the last few Sullivan County Democrats and it occurred to me how lucky the Sullivan Country residents are. The pages were outpouring help and comfort for each other. People donating protective gear for medical workers and then the CEO of Catskill Regional responding with a letter of appreciation. Masks were even sewn here at New Hope. The Democrat brimmed with letters of hope. I was blown away by the many food deliveries and salutes for the healthcare workers. I felt the strong solidarity that people are feeling for each other.

I know that in the city there are also donations and appreciations, and bigger ones in quantity, but it's simply not the same. In the city everything is large scale and feels commercial. If a big food store chain writes messages of hope its nice, but how can it compare to when the nearby Corner Grill and Liquor writes, “Everything is going to be alright, maybe not today but eventually!” The people who wrote it and the people who read it know each other and are on the same boat. It's not a product of the marketing team of a big food chain.

Supporting local businesses is extremely important. Many of them are struggling, especially now. We also don't know how the seasonal economy will turn out. When we shop at locally owned businesses (in a safe manner), we are helping a fellow neighbor, but also, we are helping ourselves and building a stronger community for us all.

With all the push for individuality in our modern world, this virus is showing us that we are really much more connected to each other. We are now in an opportunity to strengthen each other and express empathy and solidarity to each other. Without meeting in the street, we can call neighbors and friends to check in and keep up. A call is much stronger than a social media chat. We shouldn't forget the less social types who might be alone at home and for them it's more difficult to call friends and family.

Hopefully the unity will continue and grow even after the virus is over. May it be over, please G-d, very soon! The virus will certainly change many things in humanity. Hopefully only for the good.

I want to reiterate the importance of sleeping full nights. It's vital for physical and mental health.

I'm looking forward to hearing from you. Wishing all of you full healing and recovery in every aspect and we should soon see the light illuminating the darkness!

Email me: moshe@jaketv.tv

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