We’ve had the pleasure of hearing back from one of our members who drives for Lyft, the ride share service. They talked about their engagement with our Senior/Elder community.
They’ve had the unique pleasure of picking up the elderly from Senior homes, hospitals, grocery stores, and from libraries. Each ride had its own unique experience.
Living in this new age of Covid-19, we are admonished to abide by different rules. One of those rules is that you keep a 6- foot-distance from others. Now this becomes troublesome when you have someone that can barely walk; attempting to be a passenger using a Lyft car service. You have to make a judgment call. Maybe even a moral call. Do you allow that person to struggle on their own? Do you help escort them to the car, even if that means lacing your arms with theirs violating the 6 foot rule?
This is where you have to tap into the difference between the brain and the mind.
“The brain is an organ but the mind isn’t. The brain is the physical place where the mind resides. … The mind is the manifestations of thought, perception, emotion, determination, memory and imagination that takes place within the brain. Mind is often used to refer especially to the thought processes of reason” ~www.researchgate.net
For example, the brain may tell you “follow the rules”, but the mind starts to reason and empathize with the decision at hand.
Our member, the Lyft driver, used the reasoning of empathy and provided service and engaged our Senior Community, by escorting them to the car, inside the building, and physically lifting one into the car.
Our engagement with our Seniors will look different, however there is a call for a brave few to engage nonetheless. We’re not asking you to sacrifice your wellness, however we do salute every health care provider/front line worker, even when they are in form of “the Lyft driver”.
During this time of Covid -19, have you ever had to make decision that caused you to be cautious and brave at the same time?
Please share with the community at large!
Written by: Q. Edmonds
M.O.T.M.V. StoryTeller
