Acts of caring rebuild our connections

As both a hospice chaplain and a state representative, I am guided by a simple truth: we are all connected. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.” I see that every day, whether sitting with a family in hospice or amending a bill in Springfield.

At its best, government reflects that interconnection. It’s how we come together to serve the common good, to make sure every neighbor has a fair chance, a safe home and the food and health care they need. When one person falls behind, the whole community feels it.

But lately, that shared sense of connection has been strained. The lingering trauma of COVID and the loneliness that comes from so much time online have left many feeling isolated and less empathetic. When compassion fades, we all lose something essential.

We see it now as fear spreads through our immigrant communities. When neighbors are afraid to go to work, take their children to school or seek medical care — the harm ripples outward. Businesses lose trusted employees, schools lose engaged students and hospitals lose patients who delay care until it’s too late. Our economy depends on stability and inclusion, not fear and division.

That same ripple effect happens when programs like SNAP are cut. Families must choose between rent and groceries. Children, veterans and seniors go hungry. The harm doesn’t stop there, local grocers lose business, health outcomes worsen and the strain spreads across our entire community.

Yet even in hardship, I’ve seen neighbors step up, delivering meals, stocking food pantries, organizing neighborhood watches and supporting immigrant families harmed by ICE actions. These acts of kindness remind us that connection isn’t lost; it’s being rebuilt, one caring act at a time.

State Rep. Nicolle Grasse

Arlington Heights