Starting with compassion
The Ottauquechee River flows through Woodstock, Vermont, at dusk. (Gareth Henderson Photo)
Understandably, much focus has turned to our struggles, which are daunting. A pandemic, economic hardship, and uncertainties around federal relief — these all add to our fears.
But in these times, especially when the situation is at its bleakest, we can find some comfort in remembering how we've gotten this far: by helping each other. Many of those efforts have been rooted in compassion, a quality that unites us through loving and caring for each other. This virtue, innate for each one of us, binds us together in the toughest of moments.
Vermont Gov. Phil Scott referred to this during the first night of Hanukkah on Thursday.
“The traditions of Hanukkah are rooted in a period of perseverance and triumph for the Jewish people, when a small group overcame the odds to witness a miracle," Scott said in a statement. "This year, we faced some of the greatest challenges of our lifetime. ... But through it all, we leaned on one another and met each obstacle with determined unity."
This provides a chance to consider what we've done amid our shared challenges, Scott added.
"Let’s focus on all we have achieved together because it should be the kindness and compassion that defines us," he said. "This is the light that will guide us through the dark."
To be sure, we're facing a lot of that darkness today. Vermont and many other states have set daily records for new COVID-19 cases in recent weeks; federal unemployment benefits are expiring in the middle of an economic downturn; and the political divide keeps widening as Congress struggles to advance a new relief bill. The Pfizer vaccine's approval by the FDA was applauded by many, but it's likely to be a matter of months before vaccinations are widely available.
Even with the major issues facing the country, a spirit of compassion still pervades our daily lives. Neighbors helping each other remains not only a trend, but part of who we are as a people. We've all felt the warmth of the holiday season bringing out the best in people, as it always does, even as we have to forego many of the typical seasonal gatherings. That's a very different feeling from the politics we read and hear about, but it's my hope that a compassionate approach to relationships will increasingly improve discourse at the national level. While none of us holds all the answers to how that should happen, kindness and compassion should be guiding us. That positive approach is natural to us all, and we can forward that progress by making our own approach to life more compassionate. We each have a role to play in the larger story we’re building. Positive impact on that story starts with individuals, we can each put some compassion into the scale, even when we face a mountain of challenges. When we do, we help build a better society, step by step.
— Gareth Henderson
