Remember the “good old days”?
You know… back in January 2020…
… back when we watched movies in movie theaters, went to church in church buildings, when kids went to school in school buildings, when we watched live concerts and sporting events, and we all just willy-nilly shook hands with strangers?
You know… back in the times when only armed robbers wore masks on their faces?
I have to admit… I have caught myself yearning for the return of those “good old days” more than once this week.
And then, in the middle of my nostalgic reverie, this rude thought came crashing in: what if those days are GONE FOREVER… and never coming back?
Say WHAAAAATT????
In asking this I am not giving up hope on the delivery of a Coronavirus vaccine. I absolutely believe the diligent scientists working in their labs will “deliver the goods” someday soon. I also believe that we will eventually all see some relaxing in our state of uber-vigilance.
But I also believe that waiting for life to “go back like it was” might well be an exercise in futility. Because life will never really be “like it was.”
And while we wait for that golden moment to return, we might be robbing ourselves of the hidden treasures of THIS day.
As Jesus once famously said, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” (Matthew 6:25-26, NRSV).
No. This moment we share is far from perfect. I don’t know a single person who would have sketched this picture of the year 2020 and said, “Yeah! That’s the ticket! Bring it on!”
But let’s not let our disillusionment with what MIGHT HAVE BEEN this year steal the moments of joy that are still here to be unearthed.
LOOK! There’s one right now!
Abundant blessings;
Russellings of the Spirit 
I’m longing for those good old days too. I miss church in a building, I miss handshakes and hugs, I miss seeing faces in the street. I get what you’re saying but I really really hope these things will come back.
AMEN. Me too.
I love your positive attitude, Rev Russ. Yes, we’re missing some things right now (cuddles, hugs, and kisses with the grandchildren are high on m list!), but isn’t Face Time wonderful? So much better than the snail mail and expensive long distance phone calls of a few decades ago! As for my most current moment of joy: I’m sitting on our deck as I type, it’s a GORGEOUS afternoon of sunshine and cool breezes, the hummingbirds visit the feeder now and then, AND I just received a visit from a pretty little iridescent bug!
Sounds just about perfect. Thanks for sharing your “moment of zen.”