Rosemary Alpert, Contributing Author 

“Beneath the skin, beyond the differing features and into the true heart of being, fundamentally,  
we are more alike, my friend, than we are unalike.” 

-Dr. Maya Angelou 

As communities across the globe face ongoing challenges of the pandemic and need for vaccinations, we know each of us is affected. Dr. Angelou’s quote, reflects, no matter what our differences, underneath, we all have hearts. Hearts that are vital and keep us moving forward during these unprecedented times. 

Both our physical and emotional hearts need care—especially now, as we are almost a year into this time of drastic change and adjustments. It is important to maintain good heart care, as best we can. Making sure to reach out to our family, friends or professionals, if we experience any physical or emotional concerns or challenges; remembering we are not alone.  

A few months before the pandemic, I participated in a spiritual activism class. One of the exercises was a meditation on our hearts. We were asked to sit quietly and place our hands on our hearts. Breathe in and out at our own pace, and focus in on giving thanks to our hearts. Until that moment, I hadn’t thought of thanking my heart for keeping me alive, blood pumping and all the emotions it holds. It was a moving experience and a good place to start for heartful care and appreciation.

Here are some heartful care suggestions: 

• Hold our hearts and say, “Thank you!” 
• Be gentle with ourselves. 
• Remember to take a few focused intentional breaths. 
• Get outside as much as we can. 
• Connect with the earth. 
• Move our bodies: dance, yoga, hiking, biking, whatever makes us feel good. 
• Notice the beauty. 
• Reach out, if feeling isolated. 
• Check in on family, friends or neighbors. 
• Continue with regular health check-ups. 
• Eat some dark chocolate (professionals say it’s good for the heart!). 
• Keep wearing our masks, good for everyone’s health! 
• Look into someone’s eyes. 
• Smile from our hearts. 
• Drink plenty of water, stay hydrated. 
• Keep it simple! 

Let’s take care of our health in all ways, so we can show up wholeheartedly for our loved ones, friends and community.