I listened to a profound conversation between Janine Benyus and Azita Ardakani earlier this month, full of depth and connection and the wisdom of nature. One exchange in particular stood out: nature turns towards the weakness, turns towards the pain.

When our skin is cut, dozens of intricate processes rush into action. Platelets form a clot to stop the bleeding; cytokines call out to neutrophils and macrophages, T-cells send more specialized help, B-cells produce antibodies specific to the infection at hand. They are fighting against infection, yes. But it’s more than that, better than that. They are fighting FOR health, for thriving, for life.

Everything turns towards the weakness, all hands on deck to begin the healing process from the inside out. A bandage on the outside does no good when the infection is inside.

Dear ones, we have been closed away from the world for weeks, for months, for lifetimes, no matter how many MB of connecting data we’ve consumed. We have had a chance to witness the very best in humanity, and the very worst. There is a lot of weakness. There is a lot of healing to be done.

In our pain, it might be tempting to cocoon even further inward, or to turn away. But that’s not how nature works. Nature turns towards the weakness. Nature directs all resources towards healing.

Friends, we are infected by viruses both literal and conceptual. A simple bandage will not do. Let’s muster all of our resources. Let’s rush to our own defense.

From the inside out.