I often wonder how these days of the pandemic will be written and read about when they become an important element of our nation’s history. I can picture a young student reading about what this looked like, felt like, much as we do now with the information around the “Spanish flu.”

Of late, I have made an effort to (subjectively) evaluate how we will be viewed by those readers. What will be our message in how we responded to a horrific number of deaths that affected millions of family members when you consider the bigger picture? Did we behave with honor and sacrifice, in spite of the many difficult changes required to address the virulent nature of the Covid virus? I find myself appreciating our military men and women whose lives don’t change only during a declared war. Their lives are subjugated to our best interests always, over and above what they might like personally for themselves or their families. Much like we have been asked to do for one another.

In a crisis of this kind, our rights and liberties are best served by considering the rights and liberties of everyone and the way they will necessarily affect the whole, whether that be the unvaccinated wearing a mask or taking a vaccine that will provide herd immunity and eradication of this public health crisis. The ten years of research prior to this event fed and assured a timely offering of vaccination now. I am personally and collectively grateful. Tennessee counts 32.6% fully vaccinated, Williamson County 46.8 and Davidson County 40.1. Even adding the natural immunity of those who had Covid and not knowing the longevity of their response, we have a ways to go.

I hope the books will reflect the “game changers” who will put this now tragic event in our past. Namely, those who researched and provided the vaccines, the front line medical personnel (inclusive), the essential workers who kept us fed and provided our ongoing infrastructure….all more appreciated than can be articulated here.But, in the end, the heroes will be those who cared enough to follow guidelines for many, many months, who became part of the solution for their isolated friends in creative and loving ways, who were resilient in ways that quietly modeled best practices.And those who loved their country enough, cared about it’s people enough, to become vaccinated.