Opportunity for good

As I looked at the posters of the Class of 2020 surrounding the Village Green in Woodstock, Vermont, today, I was reminded of how much good there still is in the world, despite current crises.

The nationwide outrage after George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic are the greatest challenges we face today, and they both demand that extremely important work be done. But first, it is important not to lose sight of how much propensity for love and kindness our people have. They’ve shown it many times over the past two months, and couldn’t that spirit of compassion be deployed, still, to help this country start to address this racial tension? 

That is possible, and necessary, and furthermore, it is the only way forward. From neighbors bringing each other groceries, to donations for relief funds and checking on someone’s well being, it’s important to remember that is who we really are. The greatest news is, we have an innate desire to help one another, and we’re very good at it. The examples mentioned above are just a few of the various ways people have stepped up for their communities, and they still inspire. 

It is tempting to think of the recent unrest as overcoming good, as cancelling out all the heart-felt good deeds of the past two months. Indeed, the tension is deeply troubling, and this moment, effective solutions seem very far away. But the beating heart of Americans’ love and compassion is still there. Cast in point: Volunteers are busy supporting traumatized communities who were already struggling amid the pandemic. While those who spread good may not have made every newscast, they’re still out there. And today, this country needs them more than ever, as we push toward progress together.

— Gareth Henderson