I was blindsided when a woman with a slight southern accent and a pleasant smile stood at my cash register and said, “Y’all are the real heroes here” after we began a discussion on the Coronavirus Pandemic. Per the usual, our conversation focused on the deadly virus disrupting our everyday lives and the fears we had for the future. But it wasn’t all doom and gloom.

The asshole being passed around is the main topic of conversation for everyone in the early months of 2020. Despite how exhausting it can be to talk about the hopelessness of the world around us for hours on end, I have begun to accept it as normal. But when she used the word “hero” to describe me and my coworkers, I didn’t know how to react. I’m not sure if I was scared or just uncertain, but I lacked a proper response to her compliment, because no one (besides friends and family) has ever suggested that I am someone of note. And I don’t expect them too, either. I am just living my life. My only reply to her praise was an unworthy “Aww Thanks” and a quick changing of the subject.

I mean, what do you say to someone who holds you in reverence for asking if they want paper or plastic? The moments I have spent in grocery stores were never something that brought meaning to my life. I never contemplated the supply chain that keeps us all fed. Hell, I have spent most of my working life somewhere in the food supply chain. From working at grocery stores and fast food chains in high school and college to sitting in a corporate cubicle, perched in a high-rise building, making sure the company’s products were delivered to the grocery stores on time. I’ve relied on these companies and people for not only my livelihood but also for my own sustenance and I never bothered to thank them. The truth has come full circle and I am speechless.

Her genuine appreciation for my duties got me thinking about how we treat and consider the others we run across in everyday scenarios. It consumed my thoughts for the rest of my shift. Still, it’s difficult to wrap my head around being called a hero for just going to work. The doctors and nurses are the ones who do the heroic tasks of saving lives and making the hard decisions in our darkest hours. I know a few nurses and doctors and they don’t think of themselves in a heroic light. Helping others is their calling and their life’s work. And we should all be eternally grateful for their compassion and precision in these difficult times and the ones that we most certainly will face down the road.

The word “Essential” is being used to describe occupations that went unnoticed before. Our truck drivers, warehouse workers, food delivery folks, grocery and home improvement store employees – along with many others are walking to an invisible mine field when they go into work now. We don’t know who might bring the asshole into the room. They probably don’t even know that they have it. But we must keep our society going. People need food. When something breaks, it must be fixed. Healthcare isn’t something that can be suspended or furloughed. Most of all, we must not let the weight of our circumstances ruin our spirit. These essential personnel are the backbone of our freedoms and without them, it all falls apart.

Still, I have a sneaking suspicion that once the dust settles and the coronavirus is more manageable, everyone will go back to being rude to ER nurses and forgetful and dismissive of their doctors’ appointments. They will cut off truck drivers on busy highways as they head to another meeting that could’ve been an email. We will look to our movie stars for the answers to the hard questions because we didn’t take the time to reflect on what really matters during quarantine as a killer virus ran amuck. God, I hope I’m wrong.

My conversation with the Southern woman gave me a sense of pride I hadn’t experienced in a long time. It reminded me to pass on the love. I was at my neighborhood grocery store yesterday and I thanked all the employees I ran across. They smiled back and we parted ways. It was so simple and easy. Hopefully it was rewarding to them. After the Coronavirus Pandemic, when we settle into the new “normal”, I hope we remember what we all went through in 2020.

I think it’s not only important to remind essential personnel that we need them, but we should try to spread encouragement to all our fellow humans. We are in this together and everyone is essential in some way or another. Whether it’s for conversation, howling at the moon at 8pm or something as simple as a smile. And if you don’t feel that way about yourself, now is the time to reflect on why that is and how you can contribute to make this a better fucking world.

There are heroes putting their lives on the line every day, but you can also be a hero in your own story. It starts with protecting your family and friends by applying the rules you know should be followed. When you get your weekly groceries ask people you know who can’t leave their house if you can get them anything. Order food for the doctors and nurses grinding away for hours. Everyone can help stop this asshole from destroying what makes us great.