Making Up Lost Ground

A conversation over the past several days has culminated with me thinking about how to make up some things we’ve missed since the pandemic began. We’ve lost ground in personal relationships, community gatherings, feeling safe during stressful times, and many other areas.

How do we make up the lost ground?

It will not come by rushing pell-mell into the madcap race of returning to normal. There is no such thing as normal. Even in the good ol’ days, normal was different than it had been a generation before. We are constantly changing and adapting to life as it changes with lightning speed!

In reality, we will only make up lost ground (including time and space) by rethinking how to move forward and still connect in a new way of living. Think about it.

• Gone are the old-fashioned handshakes. We’re trying out fist and elbow bumps or no physical contact because of social distancing anxieties.
• Sitting next to a stranger is difficult – you don’t know where they’ve been or if they may be a carrier.
• Equally, standing in a line (queue) for service – let someone sneeze (that’s me), and the line melts as if it never existed.
• Returning to the workplace if you are in a crowded office building.
• Enjoying the fellowship and worship at your local congregation.
• Buffets, potlucks, shared dinners.
• The freedom of being around kids and getting to hug all of them.
• ….you get the idea…

Can we ever make up lost ground?

Watch the stock market for a while if you have a strong stomach for roller coaster rides! Moment by moment, a shock to the system can cause your head to twirl! Those in the know say it’s not the day-by-day changes in the indexes that are important (unless you’re a Day Trader). Nope. It’s the long run! With a typical growth of 10-12% per year, that’s where the framework gives you steady growth regardless of the moment-by-moment struggles.

Can life be equally grounded as this? Let’s ask some mom-and-pop restaurants sitting next to those huge corporate outlets. Everyone has lost ground and the only ones surviving have the ones who can adapt.

For my church, we need more space so people can spread out and not feel so crowded. We need elbow room! It’s time to look for some new property! Will that fix the problem? Maybe. Perhaps. Who knows? God does. So, after some time in prayer and conversation, the thought materializes, I realize we’ve hit a roadblock, and it’s time to make growth plans!

I can’t speak about the other “lost ground” areas. We may never get comfortable sharing a dinner experience where everyone touches every utensil and reaches over this food to pile on that food. No more potlucks? Time will tell. But if you can return to your office and feel safe, you should feel comfortable attending church or school.

Looking through the centuries, you will find that everyone, every institution, and political system has undergone changes. Adaptation to a new world is often the solution. Can we adapt?

During this pandemic, I’ve tried to do everything we were told to do for safety reasons, but we’ve still been on the losing end of growth. We may be stable, but I’m tired of holding my own. I’m ready for that nebulous new normal before I fade into the sunset! Let’s Go!