Being of Service

I learned two very important things growing up in a small, close-knit community in rural America: that the well-being of the community was a mutual responsibility; and that no matter what your circumstances, there is always a way to serve those around you. If someone were sick, you brought them medicine, or fried chicken, a pie or a banana pudding. If you were too old or too frail to chop firewood, folks showed up at your house to split and stack logs. You grew more food than you could eat so that you could give some of your surplus away, and you gladly received what others had to give you. You showed up when your neighbor asked for help patching the roof on their barn, or when the church needed a new coat of paint. We didn’t always have much, and all too often relied on the generosity of others. But even in the leanest of times, we always, always had something to give back. And no matter how small, each of our contributions mattered.

These lessons have been on my mind the past few weeks as my family, friends, and colleagues have had their routines and livelihoods upended by COVID-19 in ways both big and small. I’m lucky to work for a company that’s able to contribute to the fight against the virus in a bunch of ways, from helping people be productive as they work remotely, to helping partners combine cutting edge bioscience with AI to better understand the body’s immune response to COVID-19. I’m lucky to have a role at Microsoft, where there seems to be more ways for me to contribute to the COVID-19 response than I have time in the day.

Even then, there have been moments over the past few weeks, many of them to be honest, where I’ve felt overwhelmed and anxious and at momentary loss for what to do next. In each of those moments I’ve tried to calm down, and remind myself of what I’ve known since I was a child: we are all in this together; we owe it to each other to be our best selves; and no matter how small, there are always ways to be of service to others. 

Sometimes it is the small-seeming things that have the biggest impact on those who most need it. Have you made someone laugh today? Have you been there for your kids, your significant other, your friends, or your colleagues when they need your help? Even if your routine has been disrupted, have you thought about how you can use your skills to do something good for someone else? Have you made a meal for someone? Have you been present when you are with others, even if you are with them virtually? Have you told the people who matter to you how much they mean to you?

Trying to do something every day to be of service to my communities has brought me calm when I’ve most needed it these past few weeks. Watching those around me serve others gives me hope and resolve.

Be safe everyone.

And if you're looking for your first bit of inspiration to be of service to others, you could join Providence's campaign to make masks for Washington hospitals. Or perhaps sign up to volunteer with the U.S. Digital Response Team for COVID-19.