The first thing to really hit me was hearing the NCAA was cancelling March Madness. This is for real.
In that moment, I could not have understood how the next few days and coming weeks would change everyday life so drastically for the entire world around me. Athletics have been the most consistent form of connection for me since I was a little kid, and I imagine many of you can relate whether through sports or the arts. These communities offer a place to teach us connection to God, to each other, and to ourselves. Watching our student-athletes lose these "lasts"- last moments at bat, last moments at the starting line, to pass the baton, last moments to make a run for a state title- has been heart-breaking to watch. Yes, it is just a game, but for some of us this game is representative of a connection He created us to experience. I know this also to be true for every artist who has poured in to their art over the last few months- band concerts, plays, and art shows. Personally, my first response to all of this was to disconnect and withdraw - to reject the one thing I was scared most to lose. God designed us to be in relationship and to live in community. God created Eve, a companion for Adam, the loyal relationship of Ruth and Naomi, and the friendship of David and Jonathan. Jesus could not have fulfilled his ministry without the relationship he had with his disciples. And Paul, Paul wrote letters of encouragement to friends during his isolation in prison. Right now, more than ever, we are in a moment of social adversity, both personally and globally. We are being asked, literally, to isolate and distance socially, but I am seeing something completely unexpected. I am noticing that we may just be connecting more intentionally than we have in a long time. I have talked more intentionally and consistently with friends over the past few weeks than I have in a while. I have spent more uninterrupted time with family. I have written letters and checked-in on the needs of friends, old and new. I am noticing that this time has challenged us to reevaluate how we connect and why we connect. Maybe we can use this time to reset and restore? We grieve the loss of ‘lasts’ for our Seniors and their families. We grieve the loss of athletic seasons for our athletes and concerts, plays, and art shows for our artists. We grieve the loss of separation and time lost. But we do have hope in what will come from this, humbled athletes and inspired artists, new forms of connection and an appreciation for connection we will never again take for granted. And ultimately, we are reminded of the greatest hope, that we were created for a home not of this world- where ‘home-bound’ takes on a whole new meaning. Grieve your loss of these 'lasts' but trust that this isn't the last. You have left a legacy that will never be lost and we thank you. Take care and stay strong. We love you and we miss you! |
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August 2022
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