These Are The Times

“These are the times that try men’s souls.” Thomas Paine said these words back in December of 1776 in his pamphlet “Common Sense” arguing for independence. However, I think those words are timeless. They certainly ring true today.

What were the colonists going through as they fought for independence from England? Were they any less frightened about their future as we are today? Suddenly the stability of our very lives is threatened, just as theirs was 244 years ago.

What if they had just sat down and let life happen to them? If they hadn’t had the courage to take the steps necessary to break away from England, we may all be having tea and crumpets today instead of coffee and doughnuts! Seriously though, our lives would be very different than they are currently.

At Crossroads

They were at crossroads in their lives. Decisions made would have a life-long impact. Similarly, we are at crossroads also. Actions we take now may have long-reaching effects on our lives.

There are so many tools at our fingertips now that we didn’t have back in the colonial days. Instant communication was unheard of, and probably not even imagined. A letter could take weeks to get to the intended recipient. Staying in touch when one moved away from home wasn’t always possible.

Travel is much faster as well. We may not have daily travel to the moon yet, but we can travel across the globe in hours instead of months. Visiting loved ones is easy.

We have so many more luxuries than they did back in those times. Our lives have been made easier. However, we’ve lost something when we made our lives easier. It seems we have lost our survival skills as well as our compassion for each other.

 Struggle To Survive

In colonial times, they struggled to survive. Children were expected to do adult chores. Supplies could run low and be hard to replace. They had to learn how to substitute or find ways around their lack of something. Communities worked together to make sure everyone was taken care of. They bartered services and goods.

Now, with the coronavirus pandemic, we are faced with many of the same types of fears. Will there be enough food for us all? What if I can’t leave my house for supplies?

I think the difference between now and then is that they worked together and cared for each other. They had to rely on each other. There was nobody else but their local community.

Disconnected Global Community

Today we have a global community of people. We are literally connected worldwide. Yet, we have never been further away from our closest friends and neighbors than we are now. These are the times that try OUR souls.

Change is coming. Change is scary. And, change is necessary. Without change, we remain stuck in a hamster wheel. It is up to us to determine if the change will be good or bad. And never has change come easily. It always brings struggles, trials, and pain.

These are the times that try men’s (and women’s) souls. Each of us needs to determine if we are warriors and fighters, or if we are going to remain victims of the times we live in. There are myriad ways we can make a difference.

No Need To Be Rich

We don’t have to be rich or wise. All we have to do is care and be willing to show it. In 20 years, let the history books show that the world came together during the “Coronavirus pandemic of 2020”.

I have seen communities around me creating Facebook groups to exchange goods and services again while there is a threat of being quarantined. People are learning the names of the neighbors they hadn’t taken time to get to know before this.

In my small village, women have offered babysitting services for those who have to work since they closed down the schools. Some people have offered to shop and run errands for those who must remain home to avoid infection. People who have extra supplies have offered them to those who have run out and can’t replace them.

Support Your Local Human

While I’m sad that it took a virus pandemic to cause this to occur, I’m very happy to see that it is happening. If there is any silver lining to this cloud, it might be that people are becoming human again.

There is no room for selfishness and greed in this world. Survival may rely on us all pulling together.  I have created a Facebook group to help bring support to those who may be lonely.  You can find it here: Put Your Head On My Shoulders

These are the times …