During this pandemic, I have definitely been guilty of looking at the barren photos of downtown Seattle or the deserted Pike Place market or the too quiet neighborhoods and seeing only the stark evidence of this crisis. I realize that I have been viewing the proverbial glass as much more than just half empty.

Who would have thought that my inspiration this week would come from none other than, our local guy, Bill Gates. His perspective is a powerful reminder of why we are here, doing what we are doing.

“When you got out and see the empty streets, the empty stadiums, the empty train platforms, don’t say to yourself, ‘My God, it looks like the end of the world’.

What you’re seeing is love in action.

What you’re seeing, in that negative space, is how much we do care for each other, for our grandparents, for our immuno-compromised brothers and sisters, for people we will never meet.

People will lose their jobs over this. Some will lose their businesses. And some will lose their lives.

All the more reason to take a moment, when you’re out on your walk, on your way to the store, or just watching the news, to look into the emptiness and marvel at all that love.”