From the Editor

When we initially planned the May/June issue of The Healthy Alternative, we had big plans for an issue bursting with all of the things we love best about Pensacola in summer time. Since that brainstorming meeting in February, the world has changed a lot. The tragedy and uncertainty of a global pandemic has swallowed up much of the spring and summer plans in our community. Our entire paradigm has had to shift, collectively, from our familiar routines to a new normal that none of us requested or anticipated.

Amid the harrowing tales of bravery and suffering from hospitals across the nation, the unending barrage of news and information from government officials and public health experts, even the heartwarming stories of people connecting in creative and compassionate ways--there is the private, unique refrains of “What do we do now?” echoing from every home in our community.

As I write this, none of us are really sure what is next for our community or even our own households. It’s become clear that even in the galvanizing moments of this experience, we are all experiencing this pandemic differently. Some have lost jobs, some are going to the frontlines each day to address a panicked and frustrated public, some have found their responsibilities at home increased substantially. Then of course, there are those who are battling the virus in their bodies or seeing the illness ravage a loved one.

While recovery slowly begins to take shape locally and globally, I wanted to reflect on what we might include in a coronavirus time capsule to remember this moment in history and what we might be able to teach future generations through the lessons we have learned this spring.

TOILET PAPER ROLL: The first sign that something strange was afoot was the sudden rush to stock up on toilet paper. A household staple that many of us never worried about suddenly became the divining rod signaling the depth our collective anxiety plumbed as the news of the crisis began to swell domestically. We could all surely spare a roll to tell a cautionary tale of panic buying and scarcity mindset in the face of uncertainty.

EMPTY HAND SANITIZER OR SOAP BOTTLE: Even as “normal” life continued for a few weeks, we all became quick converts to the CDC guidelines of handwashing and sanitizing. Now almost a quaint reminder of how the precautions were initially so simple and so common sense that we had no trouble doing what we should have already been diligent about.

PACKET OF SEEDS: Not only did we all have a lot more free time to work on our yards and gardens, many people began planting “victory gardens” in earnest. The idea that we could help defeat our common enemy by staying closer to home and being more self sufficient through growing our own food was not new to this season, but might serve as the introduction to a long legacy of small scale homesteading for many households.

HOMEMADE OR HAND-SEWN MASK:

Between shortages of critical personal protective equipment for frontline healthcare workers and emerging data on how the virus spreads in a community, homemade and hand-sewn masks became a tool for protecting our neighbors and loved ones. Even as we don masks during the recovery phase, they will serve as a symbol of collective concern for the protection of others from a threat we are still learning how to neutralize.

TICKET STUBS OR INVITATIONS:

Mitigation efforts affected everyone in different ways, but one collective sacrifice was the festivals, concerts, events and trips many had been looking forward to for months. Cascading cancellations were an early indicator of crisis, the dates of private and public celebrations passing without pay off. It is clear to us how gathering together helps us mark time and build momentum as communities in pursuit of a brighter future.

RECEIPT FROM LOCAL BUSINESS: When small businesses were shuttered or shifted to online only, we were yet again faced with a moment of truth. Would we step up and choose local, small businesses in their time of need? Whether we took breaks from honing our home cooking skills by ordering curbside pickup, purchasing gift cards from service providers for future visits or shopping locally for essentials, most of us found a way to help close the gap for local businesses during the economic shakeup. We hope our loyalty to the dreams of our neighbors and communities will only continue to grow during recovery.

We hope that the lessons you and your loved ones have learned during this crisis are all together positive and that recovery is sustainable, attainable and memorable.