Walking Our Paths with Patience and Mutual Respect

Memorial Day is fast approaching and with it comes welcoming signs of tremendous progress. Over 5.6 million vaccine doses have been administered in Maryland, case numbers and hospitalizations are falling, shops and restaurants are increasing capacities, and event calendars across the region are filling up once again.

As we transition, I encourage us all to take pause and recognize that the impact this pandemic has had, and continues to have, on our community is varied. We are all on our own path and managing our own unique circumstances. Some of us have reservations or health conditions that prevent us from getting the vaccine. Others have young children or elderly family members we seek to protect. And some of us, sadly, are still coping with the unthinkable grief of losing loved ones to the virus.

For some, going to an O’s game, returning to work, or hosting a barbecue feels perfectly appropriate, while others may not yet be comfortable with such public interactions. We have reached this pivotal moment through our compassion for each other and now with an end in sight, let us not lose the unconditional empathy that got us here.

Let’s all remember that while the paths we walk may be different, we are all moving toward the same destination together.

Wishing you a safe and healthy summer,