Coronavirus! (in my Cardi B voice)
I thought the year 2020 could not get any more remarkable after January 6th. That’s when life flashed before my eyes as my very first vehicle was totaled. What I hoped would be days of recovering took a couple of months. I decided that since the year started off this low, it is no where but up from here, my dear. Baby, we can go no where but up, so tell what you’ve got to fear? or whatever Chris Brown said, anyways…
This year, 2020, often associated with vision, and who could have seen that all of this was coming…
Now we’re here, a little over 25% percent through the year. Time continues as life seems to be at a stand still. The birds are chirping, flowers bloom on trees, the grass needs regular cutting again, the rain falls as an opening act before the curtains of clouds roll back, unveiling the suns beauty. Little flower petals spin in a spiral, imitating butterflies, just to let us know that the wind is also present. I love it. I enjoy it. I stroll around the neighborhood speaking to everyone I lay eyes on, and listening to kids play along the sidewalk (before this stay-at-home order), internally struggling to grasp why all the schools are closed in the first place, but not imprisoned in homes that lack the minimum necessities, while shared with users and their abusers.
I don’t think this is what parents prayed for when they hoped to spend more time with their kids. While some of them complain, and rightfully so, their is probably some couple wishing they were in these parents shoes, as gardening have yet to produce the fruit of the womb. Now I wonder if my jokes about Corina, Ronan, Varun, and the other seeds being planted by these bored farmers, has been insensitive. I look forward to those baby showers though, because I’m a beast at those games!
Should I be okay though? Should we be okay? I am still enjoying my life. I have adapted as many of us continue to do. So many people are falling ill and too many of them are dying of uncured illness. People are loosing their jobs and losing their livelihood, and businesses are struggling. A lot of people do not know where their next meal is coming from. Homeless people cannot stay at home. Some people aren’t getting their needs for love met as they social distance, isolate, quarantine, etc. Xenophobia and racism, causinf hate crimes, are running rampid. Many of these problems have occurred wayyyyyyyyy before noval coronavirus surfaced. Suddenly, people are realizing that no one is exempt from these circumstances. Now, some people deem it insensitive to have joy in a time when their is so much suffering, as if it hadn’t existed before. I pray that people continue to care for others and work together, when these situations occur outside of a pandemic.
Lastly, I believe Jesus when He tells us to bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2). I want to be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep (Romans 12:15). I want to be a shoulder that someone can lean on but not a crutch for enabling depression, sadness, anger, frustration, faithlessness, hoplesness, disbelief, blaspheme, and the like. Some people believe this is the end of the world when no one knows the day or the hour (Matthew 24:36). I look forward to the world ending, as we know it. How else is the Kingdome supposed to be brought to earth? I believe that we should rejoice in our suffering knowing that it will produce endurance, and that endurance produces character, and that character produces hope (Romans 5:3-4). We can continue to be salt and light to the world. Will you rejoice with me?
Being okay doesn’t mean being disconnected or unaware of the world’s unusualness. We should be okay as we build our hope on things that are Eternal. Joy does not mean that you won’t experience sadness, anger, pain, or grief, or have unaswered questions, but it puts you in position to only be burdened by them temporarily. The world doesn’t give you joy, nor should it be able to take it away. It won’t always be like this! We know Who our help comes from and It is bigger than a pandemic. Are you okay?
Kim Williams 