As restrictions become stricter and stricter on American life during the Novel Coronavirus pandemic, the smaller joys in life have become scarcer and scarcer. For instance, New York has banned all gatherings of more than 50 people; all small theaters and concert halls have been closed.
Humans are coming together in unexpected ways to create beauty and art for those whose lives are most affected by the pandemic.
Jackie Borchardt, the bureau chief of Enquirer and USA Today, shared a touching story on Twitter of her elderly neighbor in Clintonville, OH, being played a cello concert by her two neighbor kids.
My elderly neighbor is self-isolating. So the neighbor kids are playing her a cello concert from her patio. https://t.co/g6Nr2HNVho— Jackie Borchardt (@Jackie Borchardt)1584375087.0
Sharing with y’all https://t.co/75pqmsY8bg— Jackie Borchardt (@Jackie Borchardt)1584375623.0
"That was lovely!" the woman can be heard saying at the end of the video.
Also, to be clear: elderly neighbor is not ill and is quarantining to protect herself from outside factors. She bri… https://t.co/x6eHqsVdgO— Jackie Borchardt (@Jackie Borchardt)1584382782.0
I ❤️ my neighbors and know we’ll get through this together (albeit at a safe distance apart 😆) Here’s the story b… https://t.co/rLlslstsHn— Jackie Borchardt (@Jackie Borchardt)1584395279.0
The kids – Taran, 9, and Calliope, 6 – got all dressed up for neighbor Helena Schlam, 78, and for more than thirty minutes serenaded her with tunes from Suzuki Book 1 and Suzuki Book 2, including a Bach minuet and "Go Tell Aunt Rhody."
"It was so delightful. It was a little cold but I just put on an extra coat," Schlam told The Columbus Dispatch. "The kids are really quite talented and it was so much fun."
@JMBorchardt It’s humanity at its best. ❤️❤️❤️❤️— Irishlass 🍀🗽 (@Irishlass 🍀🗽)1584393463.0
@JMBorchardt In spite of Trump, it is going to be people like this that will get us through this awful time.— CatsNDogs (@CatsNDogs)1584398167.0
@JMBorchardt This is what American values are all about! We help one another in crisis! Have we forgotten this? Hav… https://t.co/RpeERoTtsG— VictorianPleasantries (@VictorianPleasantries)1584440752.0
@JMBorchardt Be proud of your two youngsters because they’ve brought happiness to many people with their kindness, thanks for sharing:)— Nathan Brennan 🌈 (@Nathan Brennan 🌈)1584385826.0
This comes on the heels of a video showing quarantined Italians singing to each other across the empty streets as they weather the worsening crisis in Italy.
WATCH: Quarantined Italians sing together and chant "don't give up" from their balconies, filling the empty streets… https://t.co/9PQXqZ4DyO— CBS News (@CBS News)1584144029.0
@CBSNews https://t.co/m3c5bkfhOK— Bea (@Bea)1584144812.0
@CBSNews https://t.co/GvJvruqBnl— Bea (@Bea)1584144699.0
@CBSNews https://t.co/5xziAOax0g— Bea (@Bea)1584144762.0
italians who cant sing standing on their balcony like https://t.co/OME8lpQrbq— 🅰️lex (@🅰️lex)1584409591.0
The little joys that people have in this time of crisis are becoming increasingly important, as restrictions continue to pile up.
If you can spare a moment to play some music for a neighbor, they may need it more than you think.