With COVID-19 looming over our heads, and appearing to only get stronger, it seems our only hope to return to some kind of normalcy is a vaccine. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are currently five vaccines hitting Phase 3 of clinical trials, as of November 24th 2020. I’ve heard the hope is that there will be at least one vaccine available in January 2021. Let’s hope!!!
In the meantime, what can we do? What should we do? And who should be doing it? Perhaps we can answer all three of these question with the story of The Great Fire and The Little Water…
The Great Fire and The Little Water
Among the Aztec people of Mexico, it is said that a long time ago there was a great fire in the forests that covered our Earth. People and animals started to run, trying to escape from the fire. Our brother owl, Tecolotl, was running away also when he noticed a small bird hurrying back and forth between the nearest river and the fire. He headed towards this small bird.
He noticed that it was our brother the Quetzal bird, Quetzaltototl, running to the river, picking up small drops of water in his beak, then returning to the fire to throw that tiny bit of water on the flame. Owl approached Quetsal bird and yelled at him: “What are you doing brother? Are you stupid? You are not going to achieve anything by doing this. What are you trying to do? You must run for your life!”
Quetzal bird stopped for a moment and looked at owl, and then answered: “I am doing the best I can with what I have.”
It is remembered by our grandparents that a long time ago the forests that covered our Earth were saved from a great fire by a small Quetzal bird, an owl, and many other animals and people who got together to put out the fire.
Source: “Turning To One Another” by Margaret Wheatley
The Takeaway
Until we get a vaccine, we all need to carry as much water in our beaks as we can. We all need to do our part. But what is our part? We NEED to wear the masks EVERYWHERE we go. We NEED to limit going out if we can. Only go out if required and needed. We NEED to use hand sanitizer after everything we touch that can or has been touched by someone else recently. We NEED to lift up our loved ones and friends who are struggling with the isolation and restrictions. We NEED to take the vaccine once it’s available. We all need to carry as much water in our beaks as we can.
I know it’s frustrating. I miss my family and friends too. I miss going out on a Friday night and having margaritas and fajitas with friends. I miss going into Church and seeing my church family. I miss the freedom of being able to walk in a building without a mask and without my glasses constantly fogging over. But guess what…it’s TEMPORARY.
We CAN get through this…together. We will see our loved ones again. Normalcy will come back. Maybe a little different than before, but it will. Until then, we all NEED to do our small part. Carry the weight of these restrictions and use the time wisely that you’ve been given. It won’t be long before we’re back into the fast-paced life we had before COVID-19. Until then, do your part. Carry as much water as you can!!! We’ve got to put out this fire!!!