Moved (By the Greatest Show on Earth)

~ Live & Learn

NEW YORK — Ovations are on pause in the theaters and concert halls and stadiums of this city. But they haven’t ceased. They’ve just moved into the streets. Like clockwork, they happen, every evening at 7.  Up and down Manhattan — and probably the Bronx and Staten Island, too — cheers ring out from apartment towers and brownstones, along with the sounds of rhythmic chants, applause and whistles. The denizens of this city of ordinarily high-decibel levels kick them up an ample notch at this hour for the doctors and nurses and technicians and administrators and custodians of the beleaguered ICUs and ERs. The new urban ritual, which is catching on in other cities, coincides with the shift break of hospital staffs, when medical workers emerge from the covid-19 war zone into the open air, to go home for a spell or smoke or eat or otherwise decompress…The tumultuous reception accorded the hospital workers, though, is no cry of despair. It is an impromptu curtain call, of multitudinous thank-yous, from a vast audience rooting for everyday heroes. It’s New Yorkers joining in a chorus, singing out in solidarity: “We are here.”

~ Peter Marks, from “The nightly ovation for hospital workers may be New York’s greatest performance” (Washington Post, April 6, 2020)

33 thoughts on “Moved (By the Greatest Show on Earth)”

  3. Its not just here … in the U.K. they are calling for people to step outside at 4pm and clap – to support the national health service workers and those on the front line. It does work better in cities… otherwise you might feel a bit of a pillock. 😉

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  5. Tears…have seen videos of these homages in NYC, Atlanta and abroad. Profoundly moving to see these heroes and heroines acknowledged in this way. Hoping so fervently for their safe passage through this crisis…..

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  6. The nightly ovation also happens in our community and throughout the country. It always brings tears to my eyes. Your post also brings tears to my eyes. Happy tears on the goodness of humanity. Thank you for sharing, David.

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  9. It’s beautiful how this action has rippled to communities around the world. Each wanting to show in the best way they can appreciation for those who are putting themselves in harm’s way for the sake of a better future for everyone else. Thank you for sharing, David!

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  10. Health care workers are at the front lines and getting the worst of this and still they soldier on. God Bless them. And New Yorkers do indeed rise up to the occasion when called upon to do so, and in magnificent fashion. God Bless them also.

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  13. In Spain, since the start of our lockdown by Royal Decree 4 weeks ago, people in cities, villages and rural locations have stood on their balconies and patios at 8:00 PM clapping in appreciation of those working to keep us safe and healthy. The pandemic has brought the world together as one community.

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