Yesterday, my sweetheart went to the grocery store. He was prepared with a fabric mask and a list of what will last us for a couple of weeks.

He was not prepared for how many folks he observed ignoring the distancing rules and not wearing masks.

Fellow humans, we can protect one another by making relatively small changes in how we interact in public. Stay 6 feet away. Cover your face. Be kind. Be patient.

We can do this. It’s awkward but not difficult. We can give a gift to the health care community, the first responders, the elderly, the less-than-robustly healthy, and all of our neighbors, friends, and family members who need us now more than ever.

Stay home, stay healthy. And if you go out, follow the recommendations. There’s not a lot that’s in our control, but this is.