These are strange times. Words like “surreal” and “crazy” are used to describe the current state of things in our world today. First, we are dealing with the worldwide COVID pandemic and subsequent sheltering at home. Our work and school routines have been disrupted. And much of what we hear on the news does more to cause fear than comfort us. Many of us feel our freedoms have been eroded when we are told we can’t go to the beach or the park or church without masking and physically distancing. # Social distancing has led to social isolation and in some cases social policing. Is that person wearing a mask? Could they be a carrier of COVID? Are they really having a gathering of more than 10 at their home? I sure see a lot of cars parked there!
The horrific scene of seeing George Floyd being so brutally murdered will forever be seared into our memories. As a result, racism has once again emerged to the conscious awareness of many. And rightfully so. I know many caring and socially conscious citizens who have used this experience to look within to see if they have any racism lurking there. But others have gone to the other extreme and we are now seeing peaceful protests devolve into riots and looting.
Police brutality is also being scrutinized. As it should. Those few bad apples have “spoiled the barrel”. But again, is it not going too far to suggest that we ban whole police departments? For many the world does not feel safe anymore. It is a #new normal that we hope won’t linger. But what if it does?
People have developed some very creative ways to adapt to what we thought would be a temporary situation. Families have honored birthdays and graduations with drive by celebrations, schools have scrambled to institute virtual learning, business are holding Zoom meetings and medical practitioners are using Telehealth sessions to treat patients.
But we are getting weary of being isolated and kept away from our elderly parents, grandchildren, friends and favorite restaurants. Most of us want a return to “normal”. I fear that what we considered normal may never return. For example, even though it has been many years ago since a shoe was used to explode a bomb, we still have to take our shoes off at the airport during screening!
So just how do we #navigate the new normal?
- First, we must GRIEVE. We are grieving our usual way of doing life, our jobs, our health, our safety, trips we had planned, our businesses and our freedom. Two weeks ago we spent a weekend away from home where we didn’t have to socially distance, or wear masks. We just wanted a slice of normal. We found a place where we were able to enjoy our immediate family and be in nature. On Saturday night we had a wonderful 50th wedding anniversary celebration. That night as we were laying in our bed reflecting on the great day, our grandson knocked on our bedroom door to ask if we knew that there was rioting going on in our hometown. When we looked at his phone we saw, to our horror, a video of that both my husband’s and my bank burning to the ground. First we experienced shock and then anger and then more loss.
- Secondly, we need to feel safe and GROUNDED. What can we cling onto that hasn’t changed and that helps us feel secure? For some it is their family. For others it is their home or their savings account. For me personally, it is my faith in an unchangeable, faithful and good God. You may ask ” how can you say what is happening is good.?” I am not saying that what is happening is good, I am saying my God is good. He is not the one who caused the pandemic, or killed #George Floyd, or led people to destroy property. He, too, is saddened and angry at what is happening in the world. And sometimes I wonder if He doesn’t regret giving us free will because we have often used it in such self- destructive ways! Do you remember the song, “He’s got the whole world in His hands”? As I think about this song, I envision God holding the world globe in His hands. He has not forgotten us. He is the only one who can bring #Peace out of chaos. I don’t pretend to know why He doesn’t intervene now but I know He hasn’t abandoned us. Actually, I believe He has intervened by slowing down the spread of the #Corona virus in answer to world wide prayer. Some of you may not know this, but for every morning and evening for the past 4 months at 7:14 am and 7:14pm , there have been millions of people throughout the world praying for our nations through a movement called #www.UNITE714 ( which refers to 2 Chron. 7:14 which says “if my people will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways then I will hear from heaven and forgive their sins and will heal their land.”)
- We need to GATHER a support system. We are meant for community. We can create community by reaching out to our family and friends by social media, phone, email or text. Doing this is especially important for extroverts who seem to have a more difficult time being alone. The new normal for true introverts already feels somewhat normal. In fact, my daughter’s friend jokingly said. “Social distancing? Ha! my husband has been doing that for years!”
- And finally, we need to be GRACIOUS to ourselves and others. It is normal for us to have bad days. Hopefully we will try not to take it out on others and give grace to others who are also stressed out. In my experience, sooner or later we will probably “hit the wall”. By that I mean “lose it” over something that seems insignificant, like not being able to get our phone to work or our Amazon delivery doesn’t come when it was supposed to. You see, there is already such a pervasive sense of being #out of control , that when something you feel we should be able to control doesn’t work it brings up a lot of pent up frustration.
I hope and pray that our world does heal and we can once again feel safe and free. However, it may not happen anytime soon. It is my hope that this blog will #encourage you as you continue to navigate a “new normal”!