How many conversations have you heard or have you participated in regarding rising numbers–gas prices, food prices, inflation, housing prices? How much does this worry you? We are in a difficult moment of time with supply chain issues, recalls and inflation all exacerbating one another. It feels like a perfect storm of economic woes and so each of us considers how to respond in real time. Perhaps you have changed your purchasing and saving pattern or think differently about your retirement plans.

Let us think about other numbers. We are approaching the loss of 1,000,000 Americans to Covid. And the number keeps rising. Another number to consider: given we find ourselves just after the tragedies in Buffalo and California, how many people have been killed through gun violence just this month or this year? Why are the numbers rising? Or this number: how many Americans have died of suicide? Why are the numbers increasing? How many have died of overdose? Why are the numbers rising? It is overwhelming and pervasive and yet somehow we are surprised and often do not know how to respond.

When we think of these numbers, we must work on this mental exercise: each number is a human being. People are not numbers and sadly, as a people who has been tattooed with a number, we know that better than others. If we can see each victim–whether of violence or illness – as a person, then we can get to work. Look at their photos in the news, hear their stories told by people who love them. Reach out to them or say their names during Mi Shebeirach or Kaddish. Make them human.

For if we humanize humans, we are more likely to act.