Daily Connector | A Gift | by Ruth Massey
The first two months after the Stay at Home order were pretty intense. The decision was made that Natalie would live with Ajay and I for a few weeks. This was to decrease our exposure since Christina was working in a health care organization, and so we could give Natalie continuity as she finished up her school year at home. Her parents alternated visiting her after their work day in the back yard, but the reality of keeping an active child entertained and engaged could feel overwhelming. With a limited scope of activities to choose from, we were soon opting for walks in the city and metro parks. Since I like to bird and Natalie was already a budding birder, that became part of our walks. I was also mindful that the spring migration was starting, and while Natalie had seen a few Warblers in our yard, her exposure to
Daily Connector | Bright spots | Jeri Arent
During the beginning of this pandemic and shutdown, I must confess, I was not personally affected like some. I had open heart surgery just as things were shutting down and so, it was a good time to recover since I was supposed to stay home anyway. At first, I was relieved that I didn’t have to cancel every commitment I had made while I recovered since my recovery took longer than I anticipated (as usual with me). As I recovered my strength and stamina, I was happy to catch up with chores I had been putting off because I was too busy. My yard looked better than it has in a long time. I learned the names and songs of birds on my walks. I missed browsing in the library and finding things to read, but I had plenty of books to read at home. As time went on, I
A Zoomy day
It’s been a very Zoomy day. 4x so far, with one more to go. Put another way, despite physical distancing, it’s been a day of meeting with others to listen, discuss, pray, and plan. 1) This morning was the monthly gathering for faith leaders through the Interfaith Justice Table, organized by Faith in Public Life. I counted 33 participants – more than one 5×5 screen could hold. The bulk of our time was spent discussing “defund the police” efforts. Those who have been working a long time on police reform remarked how much things have shifted in the last several weeks, an open door rather than banging on a closed door. Several pastors commented that they feel our current police chief has no substantive commitment to antiracism, calling for his resignation. Another noted that the FOP, police union, is the major barrier to change. There were impassioned pleases from black
Daily Connector | Communication | Kerry Strayer
I am not a fan of online education and haven’t been for a long time, long before it became how we had to deliver classes during this pandemic. Years ago, I was disparaging a school that provided primarily online classes. A friend laughed and said, “You’re just worried you’ll lose your job.” (I’m a Communication professor at Otterbein University.) I shook my head and replied, “Nope. People will take courses online and not learn how to communicate. And then they’ll have to hire me as a consultant, and I’m much more expensive that way.” I teach communication. Not journalistic communication that comes to you online, or through the airwaves, or in written form in a paper or magazine. I teach the face-to-face kind: Public Speaking, Interpersonal Communication, Teamwork, and Leadership courses. A famously repeated statistic in communication is that over 60% of the meaning that we get in communication comes
Daily Connector | Moments of beauty | Verdene Thompson
When I consider what has sustained me during this difficult time, what comes to mind are moments of beauty in nature. When Gary and I decided several years ago to spend the wintertime near my family in Arizona, one of the things that excited us was exploring the west. As native Buckeyes neither of us had lived more than two hundred miles from where we were born. Early in the pandemic, when a month felt like a long isolation, we took a drive to see the desert spring. It was a beautiful day and I recall it often when feeling pent up. It gives me comfort to know that the desert mountains and canyons were here long before any of us existed and that they will remain long after we are gone. On mornings when I awaken with an uneasy feeling of anxiety I am reassured by the hummingbird I
