What if this is our chance?

Let me begin by telling you that I do not have a conspiracy theory mindset and don’t feel that I’m a sheep in any way.  I follow the recommendations of those that are far more educated than me in matters I don’t fully understand. 

I’ll be the first to tell you that I don’t understand all the science but throughout the history of our planet (which believe it or not, is well beyond 6000 years according to the overwhelming majority of people who have spent their life studying it), the earth has taken things back.  There have been many disasters and there have been several ice ages and we are discovering and learning more every single day about the plants and animals and people that came before us. 

What if a virus like this is biology’s way of slowing us down.  Many have pondered these ideas and I’m not solving anything here but walk with me. 

At the end of the WW2, this earth was home to about 2.5 billion people.  It took (depending on the model) about 200,000 years to get to that level.  In the 70 years since we have swelled to over 7.5 billion people.  I can’t be the only one that feels that this isn’t sustainable. 

Its seen in the animal kingdom on a micro scale and can be studied.  Prey animals left unchecked will explode in population until eventually some sort of disease or problem thins out the herd to a level that the geography can sustain or the herd moves on.  This is why there is a balance in nature with predators and prey.  Humans are the first to come along and greatly upend that balance.  While we multiply like prey, we act and exist as predators.  Unfortunately for us, we’ve taken up much of the land that we could move on to, so now we just build further to the sky to show how great we are.  I feel like I’ve heard that story before; wonder how it turns out.

The Earth however is stronger than us for the most part and short of us blowing it up, it will exist long after we’re gone.  It is doing everything it can to maintain the balance that we seem so bent on tipping to “our favour”.

I’ve questioned many times if humans are the beta test or the Civilization 1.0 if it were on this or any other planet but that’s for another day. 

What about faith?  Where is God in all this?

I was watching a video and enjoying my coffee in the silence of the morning and it got me thinking.  What if this is our chance?

I mentioned that I don’t subscribe to conspiracy theories about this being manufactured or a tool to control us.  I don’t think it has anything to do with 5G either.  In addition to that I see no grand biblical narrative behind this virus or how it’s affecting us.  The coronavirus is not a plague sent by God because young people are leaving the church.  It wasn’t sent by God because people are dancing or drinking alcohol.  She didn’t send it because we’re embracing our LGBTQ neighbours more every day and She didn’t send it to get us to tithe more.  I don’t think She caused it at all and She’s just as upset as we are that it is happening.

This pandemic is the first thing in my 40 years on this planet that is truly a world-wide issue.  It has touched over 200 countries and at the time of this writing taken nearly a quarter million people home. 

In North America we tend to think that anything that has happened to us is a worldwide issue.  Our sports leagues crown “World Champions” and we’ve even been known to cut other continents in half just so that we can be in the centre of the world map when laid out flat.  There is a true belief by some that what happens here is known by and is important to everyone around the world.  Now however, we must think beyond North America, beyond just the US or Canada or Mexico but to how this is affecting the world.  It’s affecting how we interact with the world.  It’s affecting how we consume and how we entertain ourselves.  It’s even affecting how we show love and compassion. 

While I’ve not personally been affected a great deal by the coronavirus (and hopefully will not be) my heart aches for those that have.  Loved ones saying goodbye via Skype is not the way one should leave this world.  

I’ve mentioned in the past that prayer is difficult for me.  I’m trying to figure out how to pray in the midst of all of this.  I don’t pray for God to stop the virus; to be honest I don’t know that He can.  These days I have faith that God is there for all of us through this time.  He’s there to help guide the hands of the frontline workers, He’s there as people are taking their final breath and He’ll be there when this is all over if you’re looking for Him in some capacity. 

I believe that while a loving God didn’t cause this virus, I believe He can help us to use it to become better.  And I believe you’re seeing it now, every day in your homes and neighbourhoods. 

We’re buying from local producers that are going out of their way to deliver to our doors so that more people can stay home.  We’re playing board games with our families, going for walks and reaching out to people we haven’t talked to in ages.  We do it because we want to check in to see how our friends and family are handling things.  We’re starting emails with “I hope you’re well” and ending them with “stay safe.”

More than that however, I think we do it because we’re lonely.  Humans are social in nature and the more we have in common, the more we want to be together.  This is why small talk exists.  We yearn to have deeper conversations but we start with common ground like the weather or the local sports team.

What if this Is our chance to be better people after this is all over?  The environmental factors speak for themselves and I’ll leave that to the experts to discuss.  I’m far from a Tree Hugger but even I am impressed with what I’ve seen. 

But what if this teaches us that the human connection is what we really want and much of the rest of what we’re doing is stuff to fill a void.  What if we continue into 2021 having real conversations and making time for family and friends.  The consumer industry is going to tell us about all that we’ve been missing and how we need to buy, buy, buy in order to feel whole again, but maybe they’re wrong.

Maybe we can use this as a reset button.  Let’s continue to support the folks in our communities.  Those elderly neighbours you’re helping, they’ll need help in the fall and winter too, why stop because quarantine is over?  That local brewery or restaurant you discovered, they still need to put food on the table after this too.  And your friends and family that you’ve become closer to in the last 12+ weeks; try to keep that going too! 

It’s up to us what the “new normal” is going to be and I hope and pray that it’s not what the old normal was. 

*I’m well aware of the She/He contradictions here…it’s something I’m working on.  God Bless.