Introducing: Hope Notes
The Open Door Policy
Special announcement: Hope doesn’t work the way you think it does.
Hope is not squishy. It’s not detached from real life. It’s not pretending that everything is okay, when in fact things feel pretty danged not-okay.
We don’t often think of hope as a discipline, but that’s exactly what it is. Proper hoping is nothing more than a steady effort to look for the good, and to believe that we can find our way through life even in dark times. It’s a kind of open door policy, allowing for the possibility of better days ahead.
Hope Notes will publish twice a week, on Thursdays and Mondays. Each issue will be short and sweet. We’re not running away from reality here. We’re just practicing how to look for the good - together. I hope it’s helpful.
Road to Recovery
As of last night, there are at least 84,112 people worldwide who have tested positive for COVID-19 and have fully recovered. An unknown number more have encountered the virus on their own and made a full recovery. We hope for peace in the lives of those who are actively suffering right now, and in the lives of everyone who has lost a loved one or friend in the midst of this crisis.
Good Moves
How people are practicing generosity, ingenuity, and love around us right now.
Quality Time
Ways to feel connected in a time of physical distance.
Concerts
Many artists are playing pop-up live concerts online - make sure you’re following your faves to catch them. Yo-Yo Ma is also doing a series of “songs of comfort” as smaller and shorter recordings.
Coloring
The Chicago Red Stars, the women’s professional soccer team, are organizing a daily activity schedule that includes coloring, story time, workouts, and art lessons with their players, coaches, and staff.
Chilling
Did you know there’s a way to watch Netflix with friends at a distance? It’s an extension for the Chrome browser called Netflix Party. Requires a little technical mojo to get it set up with everybody - this is the moment to ask your savviest computer friend to lend a hand to the group.
And Finally…
Catch up with the penguins of the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, taking a tour of the place without the human guests to block their views.
You can subscribe to Hope Notes for free, forever. Thanks for reading!
Be well, friends.
- Michael