We Are Not Alone

It’s been almost a year since the Covid-19 pandemic dramatically altered our lives. It can be difficult to remember those days when our daily routines didn’t include quarantines, masks, large quantities of hand-sanitizer, and the extra caution involved in a simple trip to the grocery store. We thought it would all be over in a few weeks or months, and we would just breathe a sigh of relief and return to normal. But hundreds of thousands of deaths, and millions of infections later, we are still learning how to cope with this painful and challenging reality. The experience weighs heavy on us in ways which we are only beginning to recognize. For many of us, the desire for simple human contact can seem overwhelming. All of us continue to stumble along, doing the best we know how to navigate this uncharted landscape. And because of the isolation that has become a part of our daily experience, it can seem as if we are on our own in this endeavor. But that is not true. I remain convinced, perhaps more strongly now than ever before in my life, that we are, in fact, deeply, profoundly, intrinsically connected with each other, because we are deeply, profoundly, intrinsically connected with Sacred Presence. God’s Spirit flows over, around, and through everything and all of us. We are not alone – not now, not ever. Our connection does not always take the forms we might wish. Hugs aren’t happening at the moment. In-person worship is on hold. But there has always been more to life than meets the eye. I remember when Veronica was in the hospital, and we were a long ways away for so many of our family and friends. And yet, they were present in such a profound way nonetheless. Just writing these words brings it all back, and I find myself weeping at the sheer power of the experience. There were moments when I would walk into V’s room and it felt like if I squinted my eyes just right I would be able to see their shining presence surrounding us. That same reality is available to us now. It is always available to us. We will get through this. And we will do it together. Circumstances will change. There will be hugs, and in-person worship, and parties, and so much more. But before, during, and after all of that, we are still connected. Keep reaching out. We are not in this alone.

- Pastor Roger
(keeping my feet firmly planted in the flow)