We may have given little thought to our basic needs before the pandemic arrived. It may not have made much difference which season we found ourselves in, because these needs were met. We had a roof over our ahead and a coat for every type of weather. At the grocery store, we could find watermelon in December or artichokes in September. We had far more than we actually needed of just about everything. Still, there were those who were rarely satisfied. They wanted the bigger home, the more prestigious car, the cruise, the latest Iphone, or the most innovative technological gadget. In short, those things that promised them happiness left them with insatiable emptiness.
So, dare I say that this pandemic has been a blessing for our world? Has it not caused numerous people to reconsider their priorities? Has it allowed us to appreciate more of the little things? Has it brought us to the realization that one’s home is more than a place to park our stuff? It is a sanctuary and a place of refuge for our soul. Has it impressed upon us that food is more than a precious commodity? It is vital to our very survival. Has it awakened us to the importance of spending not only quality time with loved ones, but as much time as possible? Has it helped us to see our neighbors as ourselves; slightly broken, a little scared, and perhaps just as vulnerable?
Have you found yourself breathing a sigh of relief because you were finally allowed to step off the treadmill that wound you tighter and tighter, blurring the goal that you had been striving to reach? Did life seem to have suddenly stopped, dropping you down into an unknown land? It has been an opportunity for some, to create a Plan B, to explore the new terrain and head off in an entirely different direction. Others have been swallowed up by fear, paralyzed by the changes that they never saw coming. As the world slowly begins to recover, will you be one of the adventurous ones who knows that being grateful for food, water, and shelter, and sharing when you can, will light the way to something new and better? Or, will you stick your head in the sand, be turned to stone, and seek someone to blame for the inconvenience that has befallen you? The choice is yours.
