Fear has been driving the nation, and Americans are acting selfishly by hoarding for themselves in hopes of surviving the pandemic of Corona Virus (COVID-19).  Within this time of distress, people are forgetting that their choices often play a larger impact on the lives of others.

Rebecca Mehra realized this and decided to take action upon it in order to incite and inspire a change in mindset. N’dea Yancey Bragg of USA Today reported that Mehra claimed that as she was walking into a Safeway in Bend Oregon, she noticed an elderly couple sitting within their car in a state of conflict.

Mehra explained how they were in tears about going into the store due to fear of contamination because of the impact it has on the elderly. They didn’t have anyone available to assist them which led to the reliance on a stranger, and fortunately, they chose the right one.

The couple asked Mehra to assist them with their grocery shopping and handed her a one hundred dollar bill to purchase the items written on a shopping list she soon received. With the number of stories of fear, anxiety, and grocery hoarding, the couple took a gamble and decided to put their faith in a complete stranger.

Mehra simply went into the store, completed the shopping, returned the remaining money, exchanged words of gratitude, and that was the end of their encounter. There was nothing further, but the act in itself was a beacon of hope that left a gigantic impact on the not only social media, but the country as well.

Stories such as these are exactly what our nation needs. We as people need to lean on hope in times of uncertainty. This is the type of story that America has been craving; a light in the darkness.

Mehra posted this story on Twitter and a wave of positive comments flooded social media praising her for her selflessness and inspiring other communities to begin to make a change as well.

I went to the grocery store this afternoon. As I was walking in I heard a woman yell to me from her car. I walked over and found an elderly woman and her husband. She cracked her window open a bit more, and explained to me nearly in tears that they are afraid to go in the store.

— Rebecca Mehra (@rebecca_mehra) March 12, 2020

In a wave of panic Mehra reminds us that we need to look beyond ourselves and remember we are simply just pieces to a much larger puzzle. We need to begin to ask ourselves what we can do to incite a greater change?

In human nature, it is instinctive to make decisions that will benefit ourselves in times where survival mode is activated. However, if we challenge that as a community, the effects of that would be tremendous. We would be saving each other which would then save our society as a whole.

In a time where people seem to be putting themselves first, Mehra’s story reminds us that it’s important to be aware of others and that that impact might make more of a difference than you think.

• Check-in on your neighbors and elderly friends. Ask them how they’re doing and if you can provide anything for them.

• If you’re going shopping for yourself, mention it and provide them the opportunity to pick a few items up for them if need be.
• Create cards filled with words of affirmation and positive messages and send them to local nursing homes. The impact of this could be tremendous and change the entire outcome of someone’s day.

As we are entering this historical moment we need to remind ourselves that we will be defined by the choices we are making.

In general as a country, we are lacking unity. We are separated in a variety of ways due to a difference in opinion and core values which pushes us apart instead of together. Instead of looking at society as a work in progress that can never be fixed by one person, start making a difference within your own life that can inspire other people as well.

At this time, your community needs your help urgently. We can no longer be selfish; at this moment we need to be aware and considerate of others. Your country just might be depending on it right now.