Back in June, Marlo shared this inspiring music video dedicated to everyone “making a positive contribution towards the fight against COVID-19.” The video shows people in the many front lines of caring for our communities, from first responders to nurses in PPE to lab technicians.

Today we are doing our umpteenth round of surveillance testing and the room that I would pass and see the beautiful circle of residents raising their legs and arms with Jon and Sara in armchair exercises is once again staffed by diligent nurses and staff who are leading us through the proper protocols of this process of testing that has become so routine for us by now.

Like the song sings, many of us feel “broken down and tired / Of living life on a merry go round,” and some days, perhaps especially by the end of our work week, we “can’t find the fighter.” We feel defeated.

It is an exhausting struggle we are engaging in and longer than any of us hoped for or anticipated – we long for an end to this pandemic and all that it’s taken from us and those we love. And until that day, we rise up. Together. Supporting one another, bearing one another’s burdens, even as we also find times of laughing and joy that continue to surprise and give us a burst of strength again.

This being human is being resilient. This is something we can learn from many of our residents who have been through so much. And yet, we are all together in this new and different collective trauma of pandemic. All the more reason for us to look around and look beyond our walls to all that are working together to continue rising up, showing up, and caring day after day, week after week. We gonna walk it out, sustained by a power in and beyond our togetherness – for love.

You’re broken down and tired
Of living life on a merry go round
And you can’t find the fighter
But I see it in you so we gonna walk it out
And move mountains
We gonna walk it out
And move mountains

And I’ll rise up
I’ll rise like the day
I’ll rise up
I’ll rise unafraid
I’ll rise up
And I’ll do it a thousand times again
And I’ll rise up
High like the waves
I’ll rise up
In spite of the ache
I’ll rise up
And I’ll do it a thousand times again
For you

And we’ll rise up
Rise like the waves
We’ll rise up
In spite of the ache
We’ll rise up
And we’ll do it a thousand times again

“Rise Up,” sung by Brigitte Wickens

May you be well and supported today and may the blessing of God or all that sustains you, keep you safe, grant you peace and fill you with all that you need, just for today. Amen.

– Rev. Joel Eaton