Contributed by Linda Lozanoff
“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” - Anne Frank, 1929-1945 German Jewish School Girl Diarist
During these past weeks of sheltering in place and social distancing, we have been contributing to the slowing down of the spread of Covid-19. While adjusting to our own individual new normal, we have all had to become creative to continue with daily life. Reducing the amount of trips to the grocery store, fulfilling job responsibilities from home while simultaneously monitoring children’s schoolwork, endless handwashing and disinfecting our homes and places of employment, keeping up with the newest mandates, and on and on have resulted in all of us having to dig deeper into our inner strength to carry on each day.
During this unprecedented time of change and challenges, an observation has been made. In my neighborhood, I have never seen so any individuals and families out walking together, riding bikes, skateboarding and exercising their dogs. Even though we might miss those trips to the gym, kids miss their team sport activities after school and on the weekends, dining out and socializing at our local breweries, we have been given an opportunity to spend time with those with whom we live without the constant running from one activity to the next which left us with little time to just spend time together. This new-found time has brought people outside to enjoy this incredible place we live in.
As spring approaches and more people will be outdoors, consider this to improve the beautiful world we live in. Let us all contribute to the Mat-Su environment by carrying a bag or bucket on our walks and gather up remnants of trash that has been hidden by the winter’s snows. So many of us will be outside walking our neighborhood roads and trails, we can now witness firsthand and up close what has been discarded.
The benefit of this simple task is twofold. It brings us an instant sense of gratification to contribute to our community while making the community a cleaner place. As children learn from observation what an opportunity to model for them community participation for a common goal.
We do not need to wait to see if the annual community clean-up days will happen this spring, be delayed or cancelled. We can begin this now and hopefully include it in our days outside throughout the year. When time has passed and we are able to resume the activities we were once accustomed to, may we remember the joy that being outside with family or friends brought us and find time to continue to do so while making the Mat-Su a cleaner place adding to its natural splendor.
