Like so many, I’ve felt somewhat helpless about all the threats to public health, and all the harm to vulnerable persons happening large scale.

But this week, just in my neighborhood,

I talked to my gardener who is not getting his fair share of wages from clients who keep saying, “I’ll pay you later.” Four months without solid pay has made his life extremely hard. I imagine food scarcity, maybe lack of access to medication or healthcare in general.

I watched a troubled household nearby with clearly unstable relationships that are playing out on their front driveway. I imagine substance abuse (now or in the future), mental health trouble, and sadly I even wonder about violence (to self or other). I find myself praying for wisdom and opportunity to just connect with some of the younger parties involved, “Hey, things seem hard. Do you need to talk about anything?”

I touched base with people navigating family members in medical crisis, debating staying employed vs becoming a full-time family caregiver. I imagine financial stress, confusion around medical decision-making, and loneliness.

It’s important to stay informed on large scale issues. But I would argue that we need to take some of that time and energy given to doomscrolling, and portion a greater amount to paying attention to the people literally right in front of us, and find ways to help them one by one.

I happen to have a public health background; I obtained my Masters in Public Health (MPH) a number of years before I became a second-career nurse. But in my humble opinion, it benefits everyone when every nurse, MPH background or not, can learn to see our communities through the lens of all the broader social determinants of health.

This is how we as everyday citizens can still make a difference, not just in public health, but also in building community and connection in a deeply fractured world.