Love in the time of COVID-19

In the five minutes it took me to put on my uniform for my ushering position at the Winspear yesterday afternoon, everything changed. Once dressed, I learned that Alberta Health Services announced that all gatherings of over 250 people were banned, effective immediately. As I put my uniform back on its hanger, I could hear a couple of younger staff who seemed quite panicked, saying, "How are we supposed to live through this? This is something completely new!"

I affirmed that yes, this is an unprecedented situation that we are living through, and that all we can do is take care of each other and keep our chins up.

The challenge in this time, as I see it, is to think beyond ourselves and to unite for the common good. Yes, let's listen to our health officials when they ask us to take measures to protect the vulnerable and ourselves, but let's also remember that we are all in this together, and that hoarding needed commodities doesn't help anyone else, while snapping at each other in our anxiety only adds to the feeling of panic. Kindness is much more helpful!

It's hard to know what's coming, but at times like these, a smile goes further than anything else to bring a sense of normalcy and calm to those who really need it, and to ourselves. In this time of COVID-19, as we live through the challenges that come with a pandemic, we need to turn away from "everyone-for-themselves" thinking, listen to wise leaders, avoid gatherings, care for our neighbours, and hold onto the wisdom of the ages. It isn't easy, and it will get worse before it gets better, but if we operate from a place of positive thinking as much as possible, we have a much better chance of overcoming the struggles ahead.

The wisdom of the ages that I'm holding in my heart comes in two phrases:

Love one another. - Jesus Christ.

All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well. - Julian of Norwich

What wisdom of the ages are you holding close these days? Please share, as what you have to offer may be exactly what someone else needs to hear.