Frontline Stories

Feeling cooped up and stressed out at home last week, Don decided to take a break from work to go for a walk through his neighborhood. It turned out to be an excellent decision because what he discovered made him smile and forget his worries: the sidewalks were filled with colorful chalk art created by children! Greetings, words of encouragement, animals, geometric shapes, spring flowers. Everywhere he walked, he found the loveliness only a child can create.

April is National Poetry Month, and the former US Poet Laureate, Tracy Smith, was asked to find poems that captured the feelings of living through the Coronavirus pandemic. She browsed through her collection and found many that spoke to this moment. This simple poem by Marah Toews seen on Twitter (@Marah_Eliza) caught Smith's eye and reminded her "of what I feel during these weeks of sheltering in place."

When the schools closed down in Florida, Rebecca decided on her own to drive to the homes of each of her students for a visit -- a task she thought would take about three hours. Instead, it took six hours! This was because she knew it would be important to take the time needed for conversation with each of the kids and their families (at a safe distance, of course).