'Something about a crisis feels like a gauge measuring our character.'
On the first of every month, my husband and I depend on the reassuring sound of an email notification telling us our tenant Erin’s $800 rent payment has been deposited into our bank account. But now, as the calendar flips closer to April 1, we find ourselves anxious about what to do.
I spent my young adult years riding around in the back seat of an old Buick LeSabre, going house to house, attempting to recruit new members knowing Armageddon would soon destroy anyone not of my faith. If such a thing as COVID-19 had come along, I would have felt excited, taking it as a sign that the end of the world was near. No, I could not sympathize with Erin’s situation. At her age, I was already married.
Losing that money for one month won’t kill us, but it would be hard. And what if the pandemic goes on for two months or three months or more? Are we obligated to waive Erin’s rent for those months too? Still, my rationalizations feel like self-justifications and my feelings of bitterness quickly turn to shame.
After many years putting one foot in front of the other, my husband and I wiped our eyes and emerged on the other side of our struggles. We had our own home again, we made new friends, we could take vacations. All of this was possible because of the immeasurable compassion of others ― people who treated us like valuable human beings who were going through a rough time. When news of our situation spread in the community, countless people gave us “breaks.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Opinion | How I am prioritizing my psychiatry patients amid a pandemicOpinion: Despite social distancing, therapists must go on. How I am prioritizing my psychiatry patients amid a pandemic.
Read more »
Christopher Meloni Is Returning To Our Screens As Elliot Stabler And I Am Not WellThank you, Dick Wolf.
Read more »
Helen Reddy Biopic 'I Am Woman' Lands U.S. Deal With Aqute Media (Exclusive)WestEnd Films has landed a number of key deals for the biopic of the Australian singer whose song 'I Am Woman' became the unofficial anthem of the 1970s feminist movement.
Read more »
‘I am scared of losing my income, my shop and my home’ — Texas businesses worry about coronavirusAnxiety and uncertainty are spreading rapidly among business leaders as the coronavirus lashes the broader economy. Some 92% of executives in the oil patch...
Read more »
Rent the Runway lays off retail workers after store closures due to coronavirusDesigner clothing rental company Rent the Runway is laying off retail staff during the coronavirus pandemic.
Read more »