During these difficult days when many of us find ourselves feeling stuck or stir-crazy, it can be comforting to look back in time and learn about people who not only went through challenging circumstances comparable to this current pandemic but who were able to create amazing inventions despite the unprecedented scenarios in which they found themselves.
As you consider ways to cope with social distancing and months of quarantining, we encourage you to look to others who have gone before us and the creative ways in which they did not merely survive but thrived while experiencing external hardship.
Sir Isaac Newton spent a year doing school from home when the Great Plague hit London, and schools sent students home just as they are in the U.S. right now. It was during that year away from school when he wrote his earliest papers on calculus and developed the theory of gravity. Admittedly, he wasn’t distracted by the many modern technologies we have at our fingertips today, but nevertheless, that’s quite an amazing way to spend one’s time while cooped up during a plague.
The beloved board game Scrabble was invented during the Great Depression when the nation was even more stretched for resources than it is now. But the inventor, Alfred Mosher Butts, made use of what he had, which was mostly friends and family and played the game with them to work out its kinks. Nearly 100 years later, Scrabble is a staple board game in many American homes.
Tabasco Sauce was patented and distributed in the 1870s during a time of economic downturn known as the Long Recession, where those in the Reconstruction South survived on a minimal and monotonous diet. Louisiana citizen Edmund McIlhenny sought to spice up their bland diet by grinding together peppers from his yard and curing them with vinegar, the very first Tabasco Sauce. As often seems to be the case in trying times, McIlhenny recognized a need, hypothesized something he could do to solve it, got to work and gifted the world with a wonderful invention.
In addition to the many inventions that were produced during previous eras of difficulty, we are seeing people put their creativity to work every day throughout COVID-19 to stay connected and serve others. It’s vital to stay aware of these stories of good news not simply to inspire ourselves to do something productive with what we have but to feel encouraged. Oftentimes, the bad news can feel like it’s outweighing the good, and it can be challenging to find uplifting news, but this is an imperative part of staying mentally healthy.
To keep up with good news during these difficult days, we encourage you to follow us on Instagram, where we are sharing inspiring stories to help you stay happy and healthy.