The little bird figurine in the photo above sits on my kitchen counter and reminds me, “Every day is a gift from God.” I gave the bird to my mom to encourage her when she struggled to maintain her usual optimism in the face of congestive heart failure and muscle weakness. My mother longed for the former days of good health and the freedom of independence when she could meet friends for lunch and shop for groceries. As the current pandemic continues to stretch across the months of 2020, we too long for the former times—for the good health and…