I’m sure you are all feeling like I do, that the world is upside down right now. I hope you are all safe and taking precautions to stay healthy.

Our Board and Chair people have helped with the decision to cancel our general meeting on April 2nd and the Board meeting on the 13th of April. We didn’t want to be a part of the problem, but part of the solution, to keep others safe and ourselves healthy.

I found a poem recently from a friend at Hog Island Audubon Camp. She shared this poem with me, and others, and I found it expressed a good sentiment, and I want to share it with you with her blessing.

Pandemic — by Lynn Ungar 3/11/20

What if you thought of it
as the Jews consider the Sabbath—
the most sacred of times?
Cease from travel.
Cease from buying and selling.
Give up, just for now,
on trying to make the world
different than it is.
Sing. Pray. Touch only those
to whom you commit your life.
Center down.
And when your body has become still,
reach out with your heart.
Know that we are connected
in ways that are terrifying and beautiful.
(You could hardly deny it now.)
Know that our lives
are in one another’s hands.
(Surely, that has come clear.)
Do not reach out your hands.
Reach out your heart.
Reach out your words.
Reach out all the tendrils
of compassion that move, invisibly,
where we cannot touch.
Promise this world your love–
for better or for worse,
in sickness and in health,
so long as we all shall live

I hope we can get together again in May, but only time will tell. We will keep in touch to let you know of our plans for May later on. Please take care of yourselves and know we are all in this together with love…

— Ellen Lynch