Adapting to unpredictable norm

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The year 2020 will most definitely go down in history as a year like no other. COVID-19 has turned our world upside down. The question is, where do we go from here? Will life ever get back to normal?

A life of social distancing and quarantining has become the norm. Where do we find serenity in a world that has been severely and unimaginably shaken? We look to our familiar place of faith to sustain us. Faith can be resilient in the worst of circumstances. The thing about “faith” it has been here before. Faith says together, we will get through the challenges of 2020.

The “Prayer of Serenity” has long been a place of comfort in times of uncertainty. “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.”

As the world shifts around us, we adapt one day at a time. The human spirit is quite resilient in rising above life’s challenges. Every day, we get to witness the resilience of the human spirit in the way we continue to adapt to unpredictable circumstances. We have been forced out of our comfort zones in navigating new ways of connecting with the people we love.

Not only has 2020 been a year of major shifting of norms, it has also been a major breakout year for Zoom, a video conferencing app. Who knew? Zoom has been a lifesaver in keeping the world connected. From the boardroom to the family room game night, Zoom has been an amazing social media platform of choice. “Necessity is the mother of invention.” We are finding our way out of the dark through creative ways of staying connected. Every area of life has been forced to pivot in response to the hand that we’ve been dealt.

Yet, it has been encouraging and inspiring to hear the many stories of how families have adapted life around the pandemic’s safety protocols. One such story: A Florida woman takes dishwashing job so she can visit husband with Alzheimer’s during pandemic.

According to ABC Good Morning America, “COVID-19 kept the two apart for 114 days. They would try window visits and FaceTime calls, but it simply didn’t cut it for the married pair of 24 years. When a job washing dishes opened up at the facility, Daniel jumped at the opportunity.” What a creative approach in working around the pandemic to connect with a loved one again.

Amazingly, this story is just one of many that brightens a dark day. Another uplifting story: Kids put on porch concert for neighbor self-quarantining during coronavirus pandemic. According to the Columbus Dispatch, “In what are uncertain times right now, with coronavirus keeping people isolated at home, there is good to be had if we look for it. And two young children in Clintonville took good into their own hands Monday, holding an impromptu cello concert at the home of a dear 78-year-old neighbor. She was delighted.” This just happened to be a local story that went national. Fortunately for the recipient neighbor, she had a large porch that accommodated the two budding musicians to impart joy while practicing social distancing.

One of the brightest light that I’ve witnessed during the pandemic is the heroic efforts of all the frontline workers. They are the essential workers that keep the world in motion, required to do their jobs despite the risk. They are the police officers, doctors, nurses, hospital workers, sanitation workers, grocery store workers, meat processing workers, delivery drivers, bus drivers, truck drivers, etc. To them, I say thank you. May God grace us with His peace as we walk through times of uncertainty. In the words of Bishop Desmond Tutu, “ “Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.”

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Kimberly Strain

Your Pastor Speaks

Kimberly Strain is pastor at the Outreach Christian Center, 77 London Road, Building B, Delaware.

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