Dear Reader…
a letter for you
As you will see from reading this book, every crisis presents us with both a challenge and an opportunity. Right now, whether we see our challenges as opportunities is up to each of us.
When I started writing this book, the world was a different place. Little did I know it then, that a virus called COVID-19 would spread throughout the globe, dramatically changing our lives.
The virus has brought us all closer to the idea that what happens in a seemingly far-off corner of the world can touch us all. The pandemic has challenged us to think about the vulnerable, to protect one another from getting sick, and to learn about global health. For many, the virus has brought tremendous grief: the loss of loved ones, livelihoods, and businesses.
Yet, the virus offers us what every crisis does – an opportunity to reflect and rebuild. This ability to recover from devastating loss is within each of us. Disaster relief workers call this trait, “resilience,” the ability to recover from multiple shocks.
One of the most important lessons in my life comes from refugees – people who have lost everything only to move on and find a new place, new community, and even a new country to call home. They taught me that I, too, can recover and rebuild not only once, but every time I am faced with a setback.
We the people, in the United States, have experienced other shocks since this book was initially conceived. I knew then that political turmoil was ahead, but I prayed there would not be an outbreak of violence.
Yet, there were outbreaks of violence, multiple ones. The racial violence that tore through our cities, as unarmed black men and women were killed, was a shock to our conscience. For black and brown Americans, the shock was a recurring one, reverberating over centuries of withstanding unjust laws and a system of justice that tolerated violence and discrimination against people of color.
We saw a resurgence of white supremacy and Anti-Semitism, the public display of Nazi symbols and other hate insignia. We saw immigrants and those perceived to be foreigners attacked. People were accosted on the streets, and told to go back to their country, when the United States is the only home they’ve ever known. We saw people of Asian descent face discrimination and acts of targeted violence.
We saw a virulent form of nationalism and divisiveness that led to an attack on the U.S. Capitol, a symbol of democracy.
What do we make of all of this? While this could well be the subject of my next book, let me say this:
The principle of humanity, that each of us belong simply because we are human, is something we need to cultivate in our country and around the world. To be a humanitarian is about loving people and caring about their well-being based on the principle of non-discrimination. This means that people of every race, gender, social group, nationality, political opinion, and religion have the same right to live free from fear.
This book shows you how to do the work – the work of being a better human to your fellow humans. It is something you can do whether you are a student, professional, volunteer, or simply a good neighbor.
To begin, I start by showing you how I became involved in humanitarian service, and then offer you lessons I have learned along the way. These lessons are about how to be prepared for any crisis, what to do when you come up against obstacles, and how to recover from dark times.
What we’ve learned that we can weather any storm. We already know the danger ahead – the climate crisis – which begs us to take better care of our planet and the people within it. The work ahead is yours to do. This book will give you the practical tips you need to get going.
Be on your way, find your own path, and do good.
Godspeed,
Sarah
P.S. – If you enjoyed the book, leave a review on my Goodreads or Amazon page!