Kindness in Quarantine / Spring 2020

We are all in this together.  In the days since the Clever Chicas project disembarked from the Emerald Princess in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on March 15th, the world has changed.  On 7 May, one of our Compañeros from the last entry is still trying to make his way home—as of today, he is offshore in Rotterdam, Netherlands, and still a long way from his home in Turkey.  International, regional, and to a large extent, even local travel has stopped all over the world.  We sit, and we wait, and we try to protect the vulnerable.

In times of great challenge can some great compassion and growth.  Three new members of the project demonstrate how kindness and going that extra little step every day for a fellow citizen can have an impact. 

We start with Janet, a retired Floridian with a penchant for crafting and walking the beaches of Sand Key.  Concerned for the safety of her neighbors, she makes masks for us to wear—masks that reflect our personalities and the way she sees us.  They appear at your door with a kind note and charming wrapping paper. In her previous life, she managed many and led by example.  That mantra continues in her retirement, as she is always smiling and always greeting the community with good news and positive vibes.  Thank you, Chica, for reminding us that neighbors care.

When schools and universities closed down, so did most of the industries supporting our students, as the nation slowed down to support only vital industries.  In the melee, graduations were shoved online, and scads of ‘minor losses’ for the Class of 2020 shadowed the season.  Enter Sharon, Sales Representative at Signature Announcements of Clearwater, Florida.  Operating under limited hours and working to answer the massive volume of calls from desperate graduates and parents all over the country, Sharon found the time to call back each family, one at a time. With our family, she spent several days working out custom details for graduation announcements.  She made us feel special, and she went many extra miles to make sure our family received announcements and felt part of our son’s victory.  Thank you, Chica, for making every graduate feel like the center of your attention.

Finally, Southern Super Star Leslie Jordan is the third in our trilogy of honors.  This Compañero goes online daily via his Instragram account to share little funnies with his fellow ‘hunkerdowners’ as he calls his devoted and massive viral audience.  Amid his confessions and anecdotes, he preaches tolerance and kindness and a vision for a more egalitarian world.  And he openly shares without making money off the enterprise.  Bravo, and what a lesson in this brave new world of virtual sharing and compassion.  Thank you, Compañero, for making it so cool to be kind.

We proudly welcome these three new members to the movement, and we look ahead with hope and love for the time when we can hand out our stickers once again in person!