San Francisco, California
I’ve heard Impatiens called ‘the poor man’s rhododendron’ which is not fair. It deserves more respect, even from me. I tend to take its dependable, happy flowers for granted. The darned thing grows like crazy and blooms every single day, unlike the real rhododendron next to it, that progresses very slowly and forgot to flower at all this spring. The Impatiens is eager to please and indestructible. I trimmed it last fall (to give the real rhododendron room to grow), and threw the cuttings into a bucket where they took root, ready and willing six month later, in case I ever need them. Meanwhile, the parent plant has filled in nicely everywhere I chopped it off. How on earth did this generous, forgiving flower get the name Impatiens?
Much like the horoscopes we all sometimes twist to fit our mood and circumstance, I’ve been paying attention to the steady stream of memes that pass through my FaceBook feed. I’m paraphrasing one I saw this morning: “Relaxing social distancing because it’s helped to flatten the curve is like closing your parachute at 5,000 feet because it’s worked so far.” A New Yorker column this week (https://www.newyorker.com/…/…/the-coronavirus-and-our-future?) paints a terrifying picture of this disease as only the first of many threats to human survival that are headed earth’s way; yet the author finds a thread of optimism: “Amid the tragedy and death, this is one source of pleasure. Even though our economic system ignores reality, we can act when we have to. At the very least, we are all freaking out together. To my mind, this new sense of solidarity is one of the few reassuring things to have happened in this century. If we can find it in this crisis, to save ourselves, then maybe we can find it in the big crisis, to save our children and theirs.”
So why am I not feeling that same mild-at-least optimism? Because right now I see impatience and selfishness (including, sometimes, my own) winning the argument, not problem-solving, not generous acts for the greater good. And it comes straight from the very top. Disband the Corona virus task force now? What? Is this a joke?
Okay. Deep breath. Another FaceBook meme this morning caught my eye and I will take it to heart: “Don’t forget, you’re human. It’s OK to have a meltdown. Just don’t live there. Cry it out. Then refocus on where you’re headed.”
Patience. That’s where I’m headed. Patience and a quiet plea for sanity, generosity, leadership, and hope.