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As I was turning into my parking spot at work the other day, I happily observed the sight of melting and disappearing snow.
It was an obvious sign that winter was almost over and sights and temperatures would soon be here that do not hurt my face upon impact.
As I was taking the key out of the ignition, I connected two other semi-related thoughts.
One: The pandemic is easing up on us. I’d heard a radio news report about the new CDC guidelines regarding those who are fully vaccinated against the COVID. One of these guidelines being that you can gather indoors with fully vaccinated people without wearing a mask. We are still in a time of pandemic, so some measure of care and cautiousness is still a thing.Two: Lent is half over. While I’m not saying Lent is a bad thing that we want to be rid of ASAP, Easter does bring with it a true time of celebration and joy after the sorrowful, but sometimes needed, season of Lent.
Those three things combined appear to me as if we are turning a corner toward things being a little more manageable, both long and short-term.
Turning to where?
Now, where turning this corner is going to take us, I do not know.
The history nerd in me knows that many times over the past 100 years or so, many a people in the U.S. have wanted to return to “normalcy” (so much so that it was a campaign slogan in 1920, following the end of World War I and the Spanish flu pandemic).
Without having a Ph.D. in early 20th century U.S. history, I’m going to guess that the ensuing years that “roared” were not exactly what anyone had in mind when illustrating what “normal” was supposed to look like.
Following the Great Depression and World War II, back to normal would have been very welcome, but a rise of technology and consumerism, a growing youth culture, and new arguments over civil rights became new normals.
Compared to times of World Wars, our recent time of pandemic pales in comparison as far as destruction goes (although more than 2.6 million COVID-related deaths around the world and more than 500,000 COVID-related deaths in the U.S. is certainly nothing to ignore).
As much as we all want things to get back to totally normal and as they were before the pandemic, history shows us that might not be exactly what happens.
Going forward
In sports, there is a common phrase fans say that is “enjoy the ride” or “enjoy the journey” of what the totality of a season brings.
These words are usually said following a frustrating loss by the very optimistic fans who think everything will be “fine” despite a putrid performance (I’m looking at you, my fellow — but more optimistic than me — Bucks, Brewers, and Packers fans of recent memory).
Despite my disdain for that phrase, the first and best thing we can do right now, as we move on from COVID, winter, and Lent is . . . enjoy the ride.
This is all going somewhere.
How many times in our lives have we not been able to see what’s ahead, but God blessed us with blessings beyond what we could have hoped or dreamed for?
Being as we are earthlings, there is always a chance things get worse.
In that case, that’s an opportunity to really put our faith and trust in God and let Him provide what we need to survive whatever comes next.
Even if things don’t quite get to a level of normal that we were comfortable with, who is to say that a better normal isn’t ahead of us?
Our lives happen in many phases. How many times would we have missed out had we stayed behind?
You wouldn’t have a career and family without growing up and leaving home, for example.
As we move on from these challenges, big and small, let’s get excited for what’s new and next.