“Golden Rule active around world in inspiring ways” published Golden Rule Moments article

Golden Rule active around world in inspiring ways

For most of us, life has literally been turned upside down as we try to wait out this pandemic cycle. And yet for others, this era in our history is a time that produces heroes.

Rather than one specific story, several Golden Rule Moments that have circulated during this difficult time should be shared.

Since working from home seems to be the new normal for many of us, it is amazing to hear about an employer in British Columbia who has multiple team members in his workforce who were quite anxious about going into the office after the outbreak of COVID-19. So instead of having them go into the office, he brought their office to them.

He went into headquarters, retrieved each employee’s ergonomic chair and their computer equipment and then drove it to their homes. Before dropping off the equipment and chair, he wiped everything down with isopropyl alcohol. He left the items in the driveway or building entrance, texted the team member from the car, smiled, waved, (social distancing rules, of course) and then drove back to the office and did it again for the next team member.

Next, consider the decision made by MGM National Harbor after temporarily closing its doors. Last week, the resort donated 22 pallets of food to community partners such as Nourish Now. That’s the equivalent of 45,000 meals that’s going out to the community, including homes for the elderly and the school lunch program.

Of course, the real heroes of the coronavirus pandemic are those on the frontlines, the doctors, nurses and paramedics working long hours at great risk of exposure. But amid all the suffering and anxiety caused by the coronavirus pandemic, volunteers across the globe are showing courage and resilience in helping some of the most vulnerable:

❚ A story comes out of Poland where they are keeping hard-pressed medics supplied with coffee and lunch.

❚ In New York, they are packing food for people who can no longer afford to buy it.

❚ In Australia, a bookstore is delivering merchandise by bike to isolated people.

❚ In California, Daniel Goldberg, a junior student-athlete at San Marcos High School in Santa Barbara (along with a couple of friends), wanted to help the elderly. He created “Zoomers to Boomers,” a website where seniors in the Santa Barbara area can sign up to have their groceries delivered the next day by a high school student. This act inspired many citizens throughout the country to check on their elderly neighbors.

❚ In Texas, Texas Roadhouse CEO Kent Taylor recently announced that he is forgoing his remaining 2020 salary and bonus toward paying his employees during the pandemic. His remaining salary and bonus total around $1.05 million. Taylor believes his firm is a people company above everything and wants to make sure his employees are taken care of during this difficult time for businesses across the country.

❚ My favorite story comes from South Dakota, where math teacher Chris Waba went above and beyond to make sure all of his students are continuing to learn from home. One of his students, 12-year-old Rylee Anderson, struggled with her algebra homework and was unable to find a solution. She didn’t have a classmate to turn to, her parents weren’t familiar with the modern way math is being taught and she wasn’t understanding the directions from Mr. Waba. Her teacher came to her front porch, set up his easel and taught her the lesson, separated by a glass door between them.

Without question the Golden Rule is alive and active around the globe, showing up in the most unusual but heartwarming ways. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if this became the new normal?

The Rev. Larry Fultz is the executive director of the Arizona Interfaith Movement.

Golden Rule Moments

Larry Fultz Guest columnist