Friday, June 18, 2021
Silver Linings
Lee Baxter
Reflecting on the past year-plus, what stands out most are the laughs we shared as a family of five and the fun we had by hitting pause on our everyday jampacked lives. Covid allowed us a unique opportunity to slow down, refocus and reconnect with each other, our family and friends (albeit often remotely), and most importantly ourselves. Family dinners became a nightly event instead of reserved for weekends. We suddenly found ourselves with no excuses not to see where a trail went, explore a new cove on our boat, or do some of the things around us that were on our "someday" list. (I'm pretty sure our dog Maddie thought Covid was the best thing ever.) And being a dad of three incredible, young-adult children, I enjoyed spending quality time with each of them that may not have happened if it wasn't for Covid. I gained much more from Covid than I lost or missed.
But Covid wasn't easy. I'm pretty sure all of us experienced the stress of uncertainty and concern about what was going on and how long it would last. Covid brought adjusting to job loss (and gain), transitioning to remote schooling/work, and constantly watching what was happening worldwide on the news, which made me seek comfort in my faith and family. No matter what, I knew we'd be okay, and we were, even with an occasional bump along the way. By listening to each other, keeping things in perspective, staying positive, and focusing on the things we could control versus what we could not, we made it through unscathed.
Fortunately, technology enabled us to stay close emotionally while Covid kept us apart physically. Seeing, talking, and connecting with others for work, school, ZOOM happy hours, or a Sunday celebration with the St. John's community was a blessing. Hearing the "good news" on Easter, Christmas, and Easter (again) was uplifting no matter where we were. A huge thank you to everyone at St. John's who planned, prepared and participated in our online worship services. I can't wait to see you at an in-person service soon.
While I'll miss the gift of time the last year afforded, I'm excited and optimistic to see things improving and eager to see what the next chapter brings. For our community, I hope that the lessons of the last 15+ months and today will ultimately be about the need for kindness and love toward one another and not division and despair. Perhaps being apart will eventually enable us to come together.
For me, I pray that as life returns to "normal," that I will remember to be present and make more time for myself and others. I hope that what we've started over the last year is not ending but only just beginning. To borrow from one of the many movies we've watched, "life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."