A friend of mine recently wondered if anyone now remembers the epidemic of the Spanish Flu of 1918. It was called that because it appeared first in Spain and veterans stationed in Spain were first to be afflicted. No vaccine had been discovered. It spread quickly.

I was 5 years old and could sense the fear among the adults. One memory I have is that there was a shortage of chamber pots. Not many had indoor toilets like we did. My mother had some chamber pots left from earlier years. She set them on our porch and a (pre-arranged) person would take them.

As now, there was fear when a neighbor became sick. People were advised to not be too close to others in a social setting. Thankfully, none of our family was stricken.

Out of that pandemic, as now, people became more thoughtful and kinder toward others.

Our nation survived.

During the late 1930s, another tragic illness spread over the Earth. Infantile Paralysis or Polio. Some survived but were left with paralysis in various parts of the body. One person had paralysis in both hands to the elbow, and legs to the knees. Another was affected in the throat area and could not swallow. With more recent therapy, recovery was made. Even President Franklin Roosevelt suffered with leg paralysis. Thankfully, a vaccine was discovered.

As a nation we survived.

During all these events, the Creator longed to extend His peace and love to relieve our fear to all who would accept it, believers and non-believers alike. Many have accepted and are no longer afraid but feel His love.

We will discover a vaccine for COVID-19.

As a nation we will survive.

HELEN ANSTEAD,

Lincoln