Items

• 
  2020-03-20

  Eddie Case Oral History, 2022/03/07

  [curator's note] I recorded this interview at the Arizona Historical Society's 2nd Annual Covid Memorial Event at the Arizona Heritage Center. Eddie spoke about his experience as one of the first cases of Covid in Arizona, and his illness and long recovery. He views his story as a blessing.
• 
  2021-04-23

  The Dorbin Journey

  This past year has brought many challenges with it for almost everybody. For me, and my family, this past year has brought equal challenges and blessings (although they usually appeared as blessings in disguise initially). Throughout the pandemic, I achieved great things at work, ended up quitting that job, started helping my family's business, experienced deep trauma after my wife was assaulted by a friend, navigated the legal system amid Covid-19 to seek justice, experienced justice being denied first-hand, worked through the grief caused by the denial, and then came out the other side of the trauma with an even stronger relationship, and I experienced a continued strain on all of my relationships caused by the distance required by quarantine. For me, this pandemic didn't greatly affect my work-life - I still had to physically work the entire time - but it changed the way all of the people around me lived. This was difficult, of course, because change is scary, but the change also became a catalyst for myself and others to change ourselves for the better. Personally, work got harder as tensions rose throughout the pandemic, and while dealing with the backlash of these tensions was difficult, this opened my eyes to the fact that I truly wasn't happy at work. I enjoyed the people I worked with, but I didn't enjoy the work or the product of my work. So, while I was grateful for the opportunity, the stress brought on by the quarantine woke me up to the realization that it was time for me to move on. There are many things that this pandemic brought, and while I wish I could elaborate on all of them, the short version of the long story, is that it was a traumatic event for everyone, but after working through the trauma, many of us found blessings in disguise or used the stress to give us the courage to change.
• 
  2020-06-17

  Covid -19 blessing in disguise

  assignment
• 
  2020-06-17

  Pandemic; A dark cloud with the sliver lining

  the positive impact of the pandemic
• 
  2020-05-05

  Blessing for the Mitzvah of Putting on a Mask

  In Judaism, there are blessings to be said for nearly any action or occasion. For lighting candles, for waking up in the morning, for getting dressed. A blessing for wine, a different one for bread, a different one for fruits. This blessing can be said when putting on a facemask, and emphasizes the central and important place in Judaism of the divine commandment to protect life.
• 
  2020-04-09

  Bless the Healers

  The graphic digital poster depicts a nurse in the graphic style of that super heroes are usually styled; during this time health care workers are getting the recognition they deserve as global heroes
• 
  2020-04-30

  Yoga

  I still have my job and luckily, money is still coming my way I just stay at home day after day Forced into retirement At only 26 years shy It has truly been a blessing in disguise There are so many things to be grateful for Not letting myself get bored With the television screen And the shows scene after scene I find myself lost in a different routine Finally, with too much time on my hands I can freely escape to different lands Where my mind, body and soul are in unity And the me I’ve always known takes on a new identity
• 
  2020-04-28

  Priest giving blessings at Saint Juan Diego and Saint Mary's Catholic Church in Chandler, AZ on Easter Sunday and Divine Mercy Sunday.

  During Easter and Divine Mercy Sunday the priest at Saint Juan Diego and Saint Mary's went on to give blessings during these joyous days by having families or just people drive up in their cars like a drive-thru and the priest would extend their hand to give them the blessings.
• 
  2020-04-12

  Priest's Social-Distanced Blessing

  A priest at my parents' local church in Chesterfield, MO waves at our car after an Easter Sunday drive-thru blessing. This will stand in my memory as one of the strangest religious experiences I've ever had, as well as a highlight of my quarantine. The photo makes me think about priests and other similar people who lead communities face-to-face and the distance they must be feeling, as well as the experience of the churchgoer.
• 
  2020-04-12

  Easter Bunny at Drive-Thru Blessing

  The local church near my parents' house in Chesterfield, MO (where I'm currently quarantined) had a drive-thru style blessing on Easter Sunday. After a priest stood a good 6 feet back and sprinkled holy water on our car, we were directed to exit past a costumed Easter Bunny who waved as the cars left. I snapped this photo from the back seat. To me, the photo is a symbol of hope and human optimism in the face of a crisis, however, at the time of taking it, it struck me as more sad and detached. Something about an Easter Bunny standing outside his car with the trunk open just struck a chord.