Amid this COVID-19 pandemic, it may seem harsh to tell someone to just grin and bear it. That might be possible for some and extremely difficult for others. We would need a pretty good motive to start grinning about this situation without having lost our mind. I watched “CBS Sunday Morning” this past weekend and the segment that stood out for me was the Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner segment. When speaking about COVID-19, Mel said something very interesting. “Grin and bear it,” he said. Obey the rules and “grin and bear it.” I love Mel so I’m a little partial to his outlook on life, even so, when I compare his “grin and bear it” advice to the alternative, he sounds like a genius. Let’s see, we can grin and bear it, or, we can walk around with a loser limp in mask and gloves, moaning, groaning, griping and complaining.

Better option:

Ditching the losers limp and the moaning, groaning, griping and complaining thing sounds like a much better option for ourselves, our family as well as anyone who happens to be six feet away from us when necessity forces us out and about. I believe that who we are in our darkest hour is who we are. Any fool can “grin and bear it” when everything is going their way. Monkeys grin. It takes a real leader to do it when things are not going their way. Your behavior matters, your influence matters, you matter. Your family’s counting on you, we’re all counting on you. Look at this COVID-19 ugly situation as an opportunity to show the world what you’re made of. You can bet their watching. 

Contagious as Covid-19:

Mel’s “grin and bear it” theory combined with stop and take a few deep breaths could be the simplest way to at least ease some of the stress this horrible virus is causing and give us a chance to get our heads on straight. People may not be able to see the grin on your face through your mask when you’re out and about, but they’ll see it in your eyes and it’s as contagious as any virus.

You’ll feel better:

Let’s fight COVID-19 with what we have. Each other. Obey the rules, grin and bear it and leave a few rolls of toilet paper on the shelf for someone else. 

You’ll feel better about yourself, and we’ll feel better about you as well. Especially when we are on the toilet.