It's time for another edition of the Insecure Writer's Support Group. Be sure to visit Alex J. Cavanaugh and the rest of the talented bloggers who are always willing to lend a helping hand.
Psst...Looking For A COVID Vaccine?
It was almost midnight when the text came through. My friend had just made an appointment for a COVID-19 vaccine and proceeded to share the details, so I could do the same. The first step was changing her iPhone general setting to a city in Australia. As if reading my mind she added, "That's probably not the 'kosher' way to do this."
Though my friend is only 61 and has no pre-existing medical conditions, she embellished being an essential worker and has already received her first dose of the vaccine. She encouraged me to join her, but I politely declined.
Another friend and her husband who are both over 65 got frustrated waiting for the vaccine, so they obtained it by driving to a pharmacy in a crime-ridden neighborhood. Their registration method involved signing in on the website at precisely 12:01 a.m. and changing their zip code to increase their chances of finding a location. To complete the process, the retired couple both falsely indicated they were healthcare personnel.
Needless to say, I was pleased when my age appropriate husband decided to wait to register until he was alerted of openings from our hospital. He received his first dose two weeks ago.
People of all ages without pre-existing conditions who worked from the comfort of their own homes have also found ways to get the COVID vaccine, and some were willing to pay $200 for it.
Despite this me-first mentality, there are still good people out there who inspire us to do better. One random act of kindness involved my former classmate who struck up a conversation about the vaccine with an elderly woman at a pharmacy.
When the elderly woman explained that her first dose was scheduled in a few days, but she had no means of transportation, my former classmate generously offered to drive her to the appointment. The pair became fast friends, and the elderly woman has even been giving her art lessons.
But the most inspirational story comes from Dolly Parton who donated $1 million dollars to Moderna for COVID-19 vaccine research. The 75 year-old country music star and philanthropist graciously insisted on waiting her turn for the vaccine, and finally received her first dose on March 2nd.
Parton explained her decision to wait in a February article in The Associated Press, "I don't want to look like I'm jumping the line, just because I donated money. I'm funny that way."
We can all learn from Dolly Parton's extreme generosity and selflessness to get us through these tumultuous times. And of course, her wise words of encouragement have never rung truer:
"The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain."
