3,000,000, 41, 12, and 1

Today I am grateful for a bike ride, more sunshine, those who are working so hard to get vaccines out and into arms. I am grateful for the front line medical workers who continue to work with and comfort COVID-19 patients each day. 

I'm on a numbers kick. Yesterday it was about the kick of runners at a track meet. Today's numbers are much more somber. Over the weekend, the world passed the devastating milestone of 3,000,000 COVID deaths. 

According to Google Maps, the Brooklyn Center Police Department is 41 miles away from our house. Sometimes it seems a world away. At other times, it seems that the Twin Cities metro area is all one tense, grieving, and worried place. The nights of protest since the shooting of Daunte Wright have been peaceful at times, on the brink of chaos at others. 

Adding to this high alert, the trial of Derek Chauvin is heading to closing arguments today and 12 jurors will soon be deliberating the three charges and potential verdicts he faces. The rest of the state, our nation, and the world are watching. I thought about that as I took this picture of the Minnesota and United States flags at the track meet on Saturday.

I appreciate the hundreds of city officials, law enforcement, Minnesota National Guard troops, community leaders, court officials, local activists, news providers and more who are working so hard to maintain peace, protect us all, and keep meaningful dialogue going. 

And I finish with the simple number of 1. That's me. That's you. What can we each do in our little corner of the world today? Listen with love. Do our best to do no harm. Show kindness and tolerance to all, sometimes in the form of silence. Have faith and hope.