So what now?
We are in a time of uncertainty rivaling any most of us have experienced. I found recently that a web-based journal for emergency preparedness noted that unprecedented was the word of the year for 2019. I wonder what word they will possibly choose for 2020?
I am sure that each one of us is experiencing this time in a unique way. We all find ourselves coping with loss and challenged to find our path through painful situations. I think we all find ourselves wondering where we go from here. What does the other side of the pandemic, economic downturn and racial tensions look like? Is there another side?
I don’t have answers to those questions. But I do believe that we can learn and grow from every experience. There are so many examples of how producing beautiful things requires a certain kind of loss. Intense heat refines gold and silver. Sharp tools carve into wood or rock in the creation of a sculpture. A gemstone’s beauty is revealed through careful cutting and polishing. My hope is that we will take an opportunity to learn, grow and be refined.
In times of crisis and unrest, vulnerable humans — especially those endangered by legal abortion and assisted suicide — need us to be more aware and outspoken. Don’t be deterred by events cancelling and the normal routine being disrupted. We are not inanimate wood or mineral. We can take an active role in our process of becoming.
Take the time to read or listen to a pro-life resource. Is there a skill that would help you in your advocacy? Personally, I have been taking in a lot of management and marketing podcasts, books and talks. In your family, in your community, where are the places you can help with time that has been created in your schedule? The pain, unrest and loss are real. There are no shortcuts through them. But we can also do the work that will result in adding beauty and purpose to our lives — and that is something to hope for.
