Alexander Jewish Family Service Friends –

We certainly live in confusing times. There is a new vaccine for COVID being distributed across the world that brings with it much hope and optimism for the future. At the same time, here in the US we are seeing record numbers of new infections and hospitalizations. It can be hard to reconcile those two things happening at the same time. It is important to remember that the road to success is not a straight line and that the increase in infections and hospitalizations does not take away from the hope and promise of the new vaccine – it simply means that it has come at a critical time.

Published data shows that the most common place where marathon runners “hit the wall” is between miles 18-21. This means that they have completed 75 -80% of the race when exhaustion takes over and it becomes hard for them to imagine finding the energy to complete the last few miles. I think many of us can relate to this feeling – the marathon of living with COVID is wearing us down and many of us feel like we are “hitting the wall” and are not sure how long we can maintain the discipline necessary to keep ourselves and the ones around us safe.

It is important to recognize this as a vulnerable moment and rededicate ourselves to doing the things within our power to help each other complete the last leg of the marathon safely. We need to recommit to wearing our masks, to social distancing and to getting the vaccine at the earliest moment it is available to us.

Friends who have run marathons tell me that no matter how hard you train that if you don’t maintain the belief that you can finish that you never will. There is a mantra among some marathoners that says, “Train hard. Believe harder.”

Fortunately for us, we are a part of a caring community of staff, volunteers, board members and friends that can provide the support, encouragement and strength to one another to find our second wind and help each other get to the finish line safely.

I have seen this team find the strength and courage to face and overcome obstacles before and I believe we will do the same this time as well. We demonstrated the courage to start our precautions and the strength to endure – let’s dig deep and find the resolve to finish strong.

Looking forward to celebrating with you when we cross the finish line.

Take care,

‍

Carl E. Josehart, MSW (he/him/his)

Chief Operating Officer

‍

‍