During February, Americans continued to face the devastation of the COVID-19 pandemic, and we celebrated heart month. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) calculates that each day in February, 3,049 Americans died due to COVID-19, while an additional 2,068 died from cardiovascular disease. And we are learning more about the connections between COVID-19 and heart disease. While these data are sobering and take a toll on our emotional well-being, there is reason to be optimistic. But that requires us to utilize two of our most precious human characteristics â the ability to value and plan for the future, and our capacity to recall the past and learn from it.