I love Springtime in northwest Florida. To me, it is the perfect temperature range-- warm enough to enjoy being outdoors and not yet hot and humid like summer. It fills me with joy and peace to walk around my Pensacola neighborhood and see the various azaleas in full bloom: a sign from Nature that warmer days are ahead.
I noticed last weekend that the anoles who live in the crawl space under our house have been more active. These creatures hold a special place in my heart-- as in the early days of Pandemic hell, I would sit on the porch and watch the small lizards, finding community with them as I was stuck at home.
This springtime, coming on the heels of late-Pandemic life, is especially poignant for me. As Americans move forward towards our post-COVID lives, I am aware at how much the " extended Holy Saturday" mood of the past 12 months has changed me.
I've discovered that I miss the simple thing sin life: smiling at someone I know from across the room, knowing that they can see my smile. I have also discovered how much physical touch is one of my love languages. I am not usually a fan of big crowds, but I look forward to gathering for live music events again with family and friends. Brian and I were gifted a pair of tickets to see Celtic Woman live in Pensacola, and I am grateful that the tickets we have will be honored in 2022.
At the same time, my hope is also filled with some caution. After so many months of " laying down" parts of our lives so that more of us could survive the pandemic, I am wary of being too hope-full. I am grateful for the good things that will come my way in the future, but pad my soul for possible heartbreak.
Between the pandemic and the named storm that slammed the Pensacola area in September, it has been hard to keep hope alive. I confess to " losing my shit" several times over the last 12 months, and I do not apologize for the lost shit. One lesson that I did learn is that I cannot allow myself to " wallow in my shit" for long. 'Feel it, name it and let it go' is my motto.
There is no doubt that the post-Pandemic world that is re-emerging is different. My HOPE is that humanity learns a huge collective lesson on what binds us together. I'm looking towards making our resurrected society kinder and gentler than pre-Covid life. Perhaps this is God telling us to hit that reset button and love each other as the siblings we are meant to be
Amen.
Sarah McCarren
23 March 2021
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