Moving the boat together
A wintry scene at Knox Meadow in Woodstock, Vermont. (Gareth Henderson Photo)
Even in the most difficult times when hope seems distant, we can often find at least one proof of human goodness that encourages us and renews that sense of hope.
In a recent example from Seattle, a high-school student is helping seniors in his community who aren’t tech-savvy sign up online for the COVID-19 vaccine. Arin Jaff, 17, got the idea when he watched his grandparents struggle to book appointments through the system in Washington State, according to local station KING5. Jaff compared the process to getting concert tickets online, something not every senior is familiar with.
Jaff, a member of his local crew team, told the station his effort was also inspired by thinking about his teammates and how they work together.
"I've decided to call it the 'Vaccine Crew,' because we're really working on those ethics that the supportive Crew brings, all moving as a whole in the community and moving the boat forward, together, unified," Jaff said.
He hoped his efforts would inspire other young people to help their families and neighbors.
"There's nothing really special about what I'm doing really," Jaff told KING5. "If every teenager just helped even one person in their community get vaccinated, some of the most at-risk people, we could really move the boat together."
That sense of everyone rowing in the same direction for the greater good is a much-needed inspiration. That story is proof that unselfish effort can truly make a difference, and hopefully it will have a ripple effect and move others to help in their communities. Our best qualities have that effect — they expand, and touch other lives. Like a ray of sun, good expands to bless everyone in its path. By nature, it operates from abundance, not limitation; from brilliance, not gloom; from progress; not failure. Like the above example, our goodness will continue to radiate outward and find a way to bless people, while also enriching our lives. We all exist in that pattern, underpinned by goodness and inspiration, which compels us to “move the boat together.”
— Gareth Henderson
The state of Vermont’s COVID-19 vaccine page offers a video about how to make an appointment online. At this time, Vermonters age 75 and older are eligible to register.
