Do Good: A Motto For Uncertain Times

By Victoria Caruso

We’re all living life at a slower pace in quarantine. In an effort to keep our spirits high, we’ve come up with creative solutions to stay busy, and we share those ideas with our friends and loved ones. Yet it’s still easy to get frustrated or upset with the current situation. I want to suggest something we can all do with our time, and it can actually be at the root of anything and everything we do. It’s simple: do good. 

According to ScienceDaily, doing good deeds helps socially anxious people relax. The benefits of doing good deeds are also at the center of many moral and ethical discussions. “Do Good” is actually the motto of my sorority, and the words speak to me even more now. To do good, we don’t necessarily need to be doing service for others or doing a favor for a friend. We physically cannot do those things at this time. The world needs a helping hand right now, and it’s up to us to put good out into the world. We can start by acknowledging the good in our own actions. 

Even if you just texted your friend something funny or sent them a quick message asking about their day, you can acknowledge that you did something good. Doing a chore to help out your parents is something good, and it is probably a bigger source of relief to them than you might think. We can acknowledge the good in getting groceries for elderly neighbors or family members so that they don’t have to take any unnecessary risks. We can also acknowledge the good in taking some time for ourselves. Do good by sitting down to read a book, cooking a recipe, or practicing another form of self-care that you didn’t have time to do during the normal hustle and bustle of life. 

Now more than ever, doing good for ourselves is not selfish and doing good for others is absolutely vital. Maybe these little acts of good will add up and one day change the landscape of social interaction for the better. The goodness we put out into the world now might add a new layer of genuineness and kindness to all of our lives. During this time when we cannot be physically close to our loved ones, doing good might be the best way we can bring that love as close to us as possible.