“I think we can truly grow as a society from this experience.”

What are your fears and/or concerns right now?

Noah: Keeping my work going so we can keep paying for our bills.

Jessica: Death.

Zinn: Death. Inequality. Suffering.

What have you learned from living this new normal?

Noah: Oddly, it’s not that different from our current lives. I already worked from home and we were home schooling our daughter.

Jessica: That the balance of the world has tipped beyond its flexibility. If society does not drastically transform and seek more balance environmentally and societally, I believe the new normal will be more situations like this as nature always seeks an equilibrium.

Zinn: Work with what you’ve got.

Do you think anything positive will come from all of this?

Noah: Yes, I think we can truly grow as a society from this experience. From a work perspective, I think we're going to see a real shift in how and where people work, and I think that has the potential to really improve the quality of people's lives.

Jessica: Yes, I have been inspired and motivated to continue my work on mindful education that focuses on compassionate connection to self, family, community and the environment. I see others’ passions and purposes being sparked as well. I’m hopeful this will prove to be a catalyst that can move us towards a stronger, healthier society.

Zinn: Yes, knowing how to work with what you’ve got.

READ THE STORIES

Click on any of the images below to learn more about what's on the minds of fellow Richmonders. From the pandemic to protests, our community has traveled through months of uncertainty, introspection and reflection. Sharing stories gives us an opportunity to learn, connect and grow with one another in the hopes of cultivating a more compassionate, open-minded and empathetic city to live in.