With most sports around the world on pause, revisit iconic sports moments from the past to help fill that void.

Zion Williamson and Michael Jordan both have hit their heads on the backboard at Cameron Indoor Stadium while blocking shots.

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BY SANDRA GUY

Each day our online work intersects with thousands of people tweeting, blogging and otherwise sharing their coping mechanisms for sheltering in place.

The stories are as unique as snowflakes – and pose questions about what we’ll really learn from the coronavirus pandemic.

• Will we embrace patience, or rush headlong into our previous habits?

• Will we learn to be better environmental stewards, or jump back into guzzling every resource at our fingertips?

• Will we claim our responsibility for our own health because it has such radical implications for others’ health?

• Will people pressure legislators and policymakers to improve poor communities’ access to fresh fruits, vegetables, healthy foods and affordable healthcare?

Those huge questions remain to be answered.

They’re all anxiety provoking, and as everyone tries to simply maintain their perspectives, a central theme has emerged: The great effort spent in trying to relax, only for a moment, whether it’s ensuring a well-lit workspace or taking yoga-stretching breaks.

A popular option is to use essential oils – though there’s no U.S. government certification of them and they’re a no-no for children and allergy sufferers.

Those who wisely use diluted versions of these plant extracts tout the benefits of adding a drop or two of wintergreen to oil to relax tight muscles or adding lavender to bath salts for a soothing soak.

What if this philosophy led to a greater good, just as much as the challenges of our responsibilities to self-discipline, nature, society, healthcare and the environment?

One researcher hopes it will — by delving into the properties of Ashwagandha, a common Indian herb used in Ayurvedic medicine.

Chemically, powder from Ashwagandha’s roots contains compounds comprising 12 alkaloids, 40 withanolides and several sitoindosides and flavonoids isolated from different parts of the plant.

Studies indicate that Ashwagandha’s root power improves the body’s defense against chronic diseases, not only by boosting immunity, but also by producing antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects that protect against cellular damage caused by free radicals and inflammatory mediators.

Akhlaq A. Farooqui, a retired research scientist at The Ohio State University who now writes books on medical research, is working to isolate two of Ashwagandha’s compounds in pure form.

The goal is to conduct multi-center, double-blind clinical trials to see whether the compounds would work to ease symptoms of neurological disorders such as dementia, Alzheimer’s, head injuries, Parkinson’s disease, post-traumatic stress disorder and the after-effects of stroke.

“Scientific validation and the documentation of Ayurvedic medicines are essential for their quality evaluation and global acceptance,” according to an article Farooqui co-wrote in a journal article.

Farooqui said the long-term goal would be to create a pharmaceutical tablet, but researchers would have to first understand the correct dosage and side effects even after clinical trials.

April  22, Earth Day–it’s been 50 years,  and the earth, the environment is still  a cause worth fighting for.  In the midst of a pandemic, some things are very clear—

vulnerable people are most affected

fossil fuels are not the future

the way we have been living has contributed to income inequality, deforestation, mountains of plastic, wildfires,  endangered species, and  viral pandemics.

This can’t go on.

May futures for a barrel of crude oil have fallen below zero, due to reduced demand  from the pandemic  lockdown. There is not so much air travel, or  car traffic on the highways.  The sky is blue over Los Angeles.  The Milky Way is visible from some big cities, now.

This is an opportunity to think about what matters, going forward.  Yes, it’s good to have a sense of community. Yes, it’s good to be resourceful and generous. No, greed  is not good. Massive unemployment is not a good  thing.

Maybe it’s time to think about a Green New Deal–a new sustainable way of living and working–inclusive and resilient, innovative and future-oriented.

We can do this!  We are doing this already. People are using what they have.  People  are making masks for front-line workers and fighting to save the Postal Service.  They are looking to the future, and even if it means  virtual museums for awhile, there will still be museums and concerts, sports and music and poetry.  There will be conversations and closeness. Lying will be wrong again.

I think people  are  beginning to realize  how much these things matter–now and in the future.

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I know everyone is going crazy with lockdowns and social distancing and quarantining and other buzzwords.

Except for one group that shouldn’t be: redheads. Hear me out! Shelter-in-place and mask-wearing mandates are great for redheads because:

1. It means we aren’t forced to expose ourselves to the sun for social events with the daywalkers.

2. Wearing masks means we can cover up our easily sunburnt faces & no one will think weirdly of us for it. We could go outside wearing a mask, hat, and sunglasses, with almost our full faces covered (a ginger’s dream!) and no one would think we’re weird! Well, we’re ginger, so they already think we’re weird, but if we cover up our hair then they won’t even know we’re ginger! (Or can they smell it on us?…)

3. We can save our money and our skin from black mascara and other makeup, such as bronzer and spray tanner that covers up our true vampire nature.

In sum, one of the silver linings of the coronavirus pandemic’s social distancing measures is that it has allowed our people to live as we are meant to — inside, away from the sun — unlike these daywalkers who force us outside all the time.

So let your invisible eyelashes and eyebrows take a rest from all those chemicals you put on them just to try to fit in with the gintiles (my term for non-gingers). Also yay! Your beautiful red hair won’t fade in the sunlight.

As an added bonus, even if you’re healthy, when people see your pale face sans makeup, they’ll probably assume you’re sick and stay at least 6 ft away from you!

Stay safe my ginger brethren. Remember, we stemmed from the Vikings, so we’re a strong bunch! Hope you’re all channeling Ygritte from Game of Thrones and her strength these days.