Now more than ever we run the risk of creating divide.
We, who wear masks vs they, who don’t.
We, the essential workers vs they, the non-essential.
We, with kids at home vs they, who don’t.
We, low risk vs they, high risk.
We, who stocked up on crunchy peanut butter vs they, who stocked up on smooth.
This posture makes our ‘we’ get smaller. It creates a slippery slope into us vs them thinking where judgement, othering and shame is rife.
I hope we can all agree none of that feels helpful.
It’s true that we’re all experiencing COVID-19 in different ways, through unique context and with different belief systems.
It’s also true that we’re all experiencing the very same pandemic.
Knowing that, what if instead we chose to do the work of creating an expanding we?
A we that leads with curiosity, generosity and empathy. A we where we acknowledge diversity is a fact. A we focussed on co-creating communities where people feel like they belong.
Mask wearers and non-mask wearers.
Essential workers and non-essential workers.
Home schoolers and those sending their kids to school.
Low risk and high risk.
Those who stocked up on crunchy peanut butter and those who stocked up on smooth.
Will this pandemic divide us or connect us?
We get to decide.
