#Joygivers during the Pandemic of COVID-19

Thank goodness for the #joygivers, one of many positive outcomes that have evolved during a time when living through the anxiety, fears, and isolation of COIVD-19, as well as watching the horrors that this disease brings forth, has without a doubt, shaken, changed, and enlightened our global community.

The message left for me on the road outside my office window brightened my day, and many more that followed, when I found it after stepping outside one afternoon to begin a walk.

This short, sweet message showed me that I wasn't alone, that I was valued, missed, beheld as a friend by a young neighbor wanting to share that she cared. It filled me with joy.

As a teacher I've been separated from my students and colleagues.
As a parent I was separated from my oldest child working in another city.
As a child I've been separated from my parents, siblings, and in-laws who live in other states.
And as a person navigating life in this pandemic, I know my situation isn't unique.
But again, thank goodness for the #joygivers.

Those who have found ways to naturally uplift the people around them through their actions. This melon art, another gift, has found a new spot in my flower garden. Small gestures like these mean the most. They remind us of the best parts of being human.