I’m tired of all this. I don’t want to hear another word about pandemic or COVID. But that’s not the way it works. I can turn off the news, but that doesn’t end the pandemic. I can ignore the case numbers, but they still are what they are. It doesn’t matter to COVID-19 whether we are tired of it or not. It is a virus and it will spread as long as we provide it the means to do so. It does not get tired of doing so.
I was thinking of those who lived through the first and second World Wars. I’m sure there were days when they wished it would all go away. And they had to endure 4-5 years of war. I’ve been thinking of those living through the drought on the prairies in the 1930s – which lasted most of the decade, coupled with the Stock Market crash of 1929 and resulting depression. I’m sure that people then wished they could wake up one morning and discover green crops growing and flourishing gardens. There are those of you reading this who may remember those times.
Wishful thinking doesn’t change a war, a drought, a depression or a pandemic. We might be tired of it or bored with the news, and that is how we feel. It still doesn’t change the fact that we need to do what needs to be done to protect ourselves and others – by wearing masks in public, physically distancing from those not in our immediate cohorts, washing hands and limiting the number of people we gather with.
We are alarmed by all of this. When we are alarmed, we might try to avoid dealing with what is before us. Or we might deny that it is happening and make up alternative stories. Neither avoidance or denial are going to get us through this pandemic which is very real. We might declare that we should have our freedom to make our own decisions (such as whether or not to wear a mask), but our decisions impact others, and as members of a community/society, we always have to think of the impact of our decisions and actions on others. (And as one person said, “What kind of freedom do you have if you end up in hospital, attached to a respirator or in a cemetery?)
We are alarmed by all of this. Instead of denying, avoiding or claiming our personal freedom, we have other options, that are healthier for us and for all those around us. We can be moved to caution, out of love for our family, friends and community. We can feel the sadness of all the losses we are facing at this time (the loss of being able to connect in-person with people, to have events we want to have, etc.) and then have our tears, which helps us to adapt to this situation. We can find our courage, rooted in our faith in God, to face what alarms us and to temper our frustration and yearning to be done with this, so that we can continue acting with caution and allowing ourselves to adapt to this situation which has come upon us.
Yes, we are tired of this. That is totally natural. But the only way through this pandemic time is to face the alarm and frustration we are feeling. The pandemic is not magically going to go away. Even a vaccine, while giving us a way through, is going to take time to distribute and administer. So we need to face our alarm and frustration by acting with caution and courage, and feeling the sadness over it all, so that we can adapt and live through this, just as our forebears lived through wars, drought, depression and previous pandemics.
We can do this, because we know that God is with us, strengthening and encouraging us. That is God’s way – to be with us in whatever we are facing. As it says in Isaiah 41:10, which I repeat to myself several times each day, “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. I will help you. I will hold you with my strong arms.”
We may be tired. We need to take care of each other. And we need to remember that there will be a day when the pandemic is no longer shaping our lives. ‘Til then, we wear mask, wash our hands, physically distance and meet in small groups of only our cohort. We can do it. We will get through this!
With all of our love and prayers,
Rev. David and Rev. Susan
High River United Church – a community of help, home & hope
“Just to be is a blessing; just to live is holy.” A. Heschel
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