Supporting small business - from ethical best practice to civic duty...

We've lived with the restrictions and ups and downs of the COVID pandemic for months now. The polarizing issue among those who have the luxury of debating it has been whether it's really as bad at is seems. For those whose livelihoods are invested in bringing people together, there is no debate; only a stark reality.

Like many, I have had the luxury of working a corporate job from home. In many ways, my quality of life has actually increased during this time. I eat better, sleep better and exercise more. The relationships I have with my family have deepened in a way I didn't know they could when I was living the whirlwind of commutes and activities. My big problem is I miss people. I miss dinners with friends at crowded restaurants - I miss parties - I miss my community. So, why not just "reopen" and start getting back to normal? We'll all be careful and we'll figure it out - why not just say "enough?"

Because this thing isn't over yet. People are still dying and there's no cure. And, if this summer has taught us anything, it's that we won't all "just be careful." If we charge ahead chanting "damn the torpedoes" we're going to stretch this hard time out even longer.

At the start of the pandemic, I went into bunker mode like so many others. Inspiration came when a neighbor was posting pics of their wonderful meal from one of my favorite (and not open to the public) restaurants. He had ordered curbside takeout from the capable, and grateful, staff of this neighborhood icon. Suddenly the world outside my bunker opened up again as I started to research which businesses were opening their kitchens and retail stores to customers by getting creative. Hastily constructed online ordering sites and re-imagined processes were keeping doors open but they needed customers to get on board. I decided to sign-up.

Although I can't just snap my fingers and go back to normal. What I can do is support the people and businesses that mean so much to me. I want them to be there and ready to have me back when it's time. I order take-out and tip the heck out of the delivery driver or restaurant host. I buy from local stores, who employ so many in my community, using curbside pickups and drive-throughs. It's what I can do to help us weather this storm and get us back to normal. I'm not going to rely on congress to pass relief bills to take care of my community. It's my community and my responsibility.

What's interesting is that I now feel a greater connection to my local businesses. There's a sense of pride and of caring that wasn't there before because I feel like we're in it together. That greater connection is what will make the first meal with friends at my favorite crowded kitchen and bar more of a celebration with my community than just a night out.