My son’s school has a sign out front that has information about upcoming activities or on occasion, an inspirational quote. I usually give it a brief glance and move on. One day last month, it was updated to say, “perhaps you have been created for this moment.”
It stuck with me, and I found myself inspired to rise to the occasion. This moment. But what was my moment? Life was very status quo, so I wasn’t sure. Enter coronavirus. A terribly challenging time, for sure. But what if it’s also our moment?
I know. It sounds crazy. Bear with me for a moment.
We’ve been socially distancing for the last 12 days. My husband and I are working from home, working to homeschool our kindergartner and contain our borderline-feral three-year-old. It’s been hard. I’m filled with anxiety and snippets of PTSD. But I’m also filled with hope and love.
This time of leaning out of our everyday happenings has inspired me to lean in on my life. I’m working to connect with those I can’t see. I’m writing letters. I’m putting away the “I’m too busy” excuse and listening to church sermons online. I’m reaching out each day to check on friends and see how they’re doing. I’m clearing out the clutter and making room for the important things.
What if, in what could arguably be some of our darkest hours we can also shine?
Right now, the world around me is filled with people showering each other with love. Our community is sewing masks, supporting local businesses however they can and sprinkling kindness all around. Neighbors are picking up groceries for one another and helping our seniors to make sure they’re taken care of.
There is chaos, but there is also hope.
My sons are too young to understand what is really going on, so they look to my husband and I for guidance. We tell them small snapshots of current events but mostly work to keep them blissfully ignorant while we can. But we do show them the love around us- when times are tough, it’s amazing how we can pull together as one. When things like the coronavirus pandemic happen, we can take the time to sink in it, or use it as a reason to rise. I’m choosing to make this the moment I’ve been created for, and when it passes, I will be better for it. We all will.