Not What I Expected!
Last summer my husband decided we needed a sturdier mailbox. The one we had was a mess - the city snow plow had hit it too many times and it was showing. We had never purchased one before, so he went to his favorite COVID shopping place - Amazon. He spent time looking at them and decided on a classic look in shiny red enamel. It sounded cute. Fast forward to a week later when it arrived. I went to get the mail and saw that the package had arrived and was happy to say good bye to the old one. I was a bit worried though - the package wasn’t very big. I thought maybe it was like pillows and mattresses that you buy online - they come in small boxes and unfold before your eyes! I handed it off to my husband and he opened it up. I heard him say, “What? What is this?” I went to look and sure enough it was a shiny red enamel mailbox about six inches long and three inches wide. It was so tiny! He kept that funny little mailbox anyway and ordered one again - paying more attention to the description this time.
I love when things like that happen. It’s funny of course, but it also makes you stop for a minute and think about the whole endeavor again and how you ended up with something unexpected. I feel like this year in pandemic has been like that a bit. Life right now isn’t what we expected it to be. If only we could box it back up and return it, right? Well, even if we could there are things we might want to keep and hold on to.
I recently asked a group of young adults what positive things have come from life this past year. They said some very profound things.
I can rely on myself more than I imagined. I learned to cook, organize, fix things and make do with second choices.
I had time for once. I used to fill every moment of the day with something, going out, meeting friends, the gym, food, shopping, music, parties and all that. When those were gone or limited I was scared at first and nervous. But I found out I was pretty good without all that. I read more, watched documentaries, listened to podcasts and think I learned a lot.
Not being able to see family was really hard. My grandparents are getting up there and I was worried about them. But I saw how other people were managing - doing nice things like visiting outside, making meals, calling more, sending letters - I did that too and wow, it was like me being the grown-up, caring about someone more than myself.
I was pretty lonely at first, but I tried to do things to forget about it. I joined a Bible study, made face masks for the hospital, watched movies and shows with friends virtually. I actually think I made a few new friends.
I have an autoimmune disorder and things freaked me out. I was so scared of everything, but my friends and my mom helped me calm down and just learn how to manage things well. I had the opportunity to help a person I work with, too, who has the same kind of thing as me. I felt pretty good about that.
There were more responses, but this small sample was so real. We didn’t expect all this, but in the little moments, the places we rarely travel, God has made something beautiful. These young adults, like you and me have learned a bit more self-reliance, to be kind and thoughtful, to adapt and try new things. Change was demanded and we’ve risen to the challenge.
I believe this is preparing us for what’s next - what’s after COVID is contained and understood. I believe the things we have learned have been good things that transcend catastrophe and make sense as disciples, people of faith on mission. We are called to love one another, to put others before ourselves, to have hope, to trust, to face things head on and know that God is a God of power, might, generosity, healing and grace.
And, I would be remiss not to mention joy - joy is the antidote to fear. People of faith have faced the pandemic fearlessly and can find the good that presents itself everyday. And perhaps we are the good!
Take a little time this week and make a list of your own and ask the parish to do it too - this will be a testimony to who we are and how God has seen us through this far!
And just a note - head to our website for some free digital downloads for Lent in the store.
Grace and Peace,
Jane Angha
“I’m not telling you that it’s going to be easy - I’m telling you it’s going to be worth it.”
