I have always been a worrier. My husband and kids used to tease me about this. Once they put duct tape on the ceiling over my bed to cover a pretend “hole in the ceiling” where a “meteor” had hit …the “meteor” was a a large stone in the middle of my bed. ..”Look mum,” they said with my husband grinning behind them, “You’re right do have to worry about everything!”

I remember how they laughed and laughed.  But I still worry about them, these girls of mine, even though they are grown. And I know that my husband would too if he were alive today.

I worry about my youngest who has a 6 month old sweet boy and whose husband works away most of the time. In this time of covid-19, I worry that I am unable to help her and give her some much needed rest time. I worry about my middle daughter who will be be giving birth at home in the next few days. Neither I nor my mother-in-law will be able to support my daughter and her husband before, during or after their baby’s birth as we have done previously.we are both potentially vulnerable to covid. And I worry about my oldest who followed me into the book business. Will there even be a job for her once all this is over. Will our publishers and book stores survive?

I worry about my grand children growing up in this scary world we are polluting for profit. I worry about the racism and sexism that continues to flare up now even in some of our leaders. I worry, about friends and I worry about the homeless crisis we have created for our most vulnerable. I worry that we have become more not less divided; even though I know that we are more alike than different from our neighbours whether they be across the street or across the world.

Still, I hope, I know there is good in the world. I see neighbours helping each other while maintains the appropriate social distance.  I am thankful for our health care workers, for our grocery store workers and truckers and farmers who work despite frightening risks. I am thankful for a government that understands that we are all important, that there is no economy without us. I am thankful for leadership that understands that now is not the time for petty party politics. …and I pray to some higher power that we will come through this, together, stronger, more loving, more forgiving, with more humanity.

Love to all of you. Stay safe.