Will we see each other?

You know those moments when your kiddo grabs your face and says “look at me!” And turns your face with their hand to look them square in the eyes? Usually it happens when you have a toddler who wants attention. And it most often happens when you’re just about at the end of sending an important email, or just about to finish cleaning something. Right at that very moment, when you need just 30 more seconds to do what you find important, they will grab your face, and turn it toward them and say “mommy look at ME!” In this moment they force you to see their humanity and in turn you see your own. 

Our current scenario is much the same. It is forcing us to take a look at our own shared human needs and placing everything else as a secondary concern. 

I have been specifically considering how this metaphor relates to the area of workplace policy. Thankfully I have heard of many places overriding usual policies and offering understanding and flexibility during this unusual situation. But it makes me think about how, outside of a pandemic, our usual personal and societal concerns can so easily be brushed off as “not my problem.” A few that come to mind: 

• Aging parent? “Hope you can hire someone.”
• Sick kid? “Don’t you have a grandparent around who can take care of that?” 
• Car not working? “Sorry, that’s your third infraction so we are moving you to a disciplinary plan.”

I more than recognize that not all places can be flexible in every area. For example healthcare workers have to be on time for a myriad of reasons. I get that. 

And I’m not suggesting that the world is allowed to go willy nilly and do as they please. (Yes, I love the phrase "willy nilly" just ask my kids).

But now I believe the proverbial hand is grabbing our face and asking us to see the humanity that was there the whole time. 

Next week many schools will close and many workplaces will close. And we will do as Americans what we have almost never done.

Stop. 

Some of us will have remote work options.

Some of us will have paid time off that we can use.

And some of us will either have a workplace closure or no choice but to call in, stay home to care for kids and elderly family members without any paid leave. Some of us will face significant financial ramifications. 

And my question is, when this crisis is over or at least quelled, will we still be able to see each other? Will we remember our shared humanity? Will we build workplace policies that are also good for the whole of society? Will we create flexibility where possible for those caring for the aging, the young, or the medically complex? 

Will we see each other? Or will we return to to our ways and say, “Each man for himself. Hope you can keep up.” 

It is my hope that we will continue to prioritize human need whenever possible, wherever possible.