Isolated Connection

Ben:  “God, I feel really busy.  I have so many responsibilities and my work is so demanding.  So many people rely on me and I don’t want to let them down.  I just wish things were simpler, you know?”

God:  “I understand how that can be exhausting.  Tell me, what are some of the things you’d do if you had this ‘simpler life’?”

Ben:  Well there are a lot of things I’d change, or do…

Go about my day without being rushed.
Not have somewhere I’m late for all the time.
Stay at home more with nothing planned.
Truly appreciate going to mass and receiving the eucharist.
Do a puzzle.
Make dinner for my family from scratch.
Read a book.
Pray more.
Really listen when someone is talking to me rather than think about what else I’m needing to do.
Have a glass a wine with my mom, just the two of us.
Learn a new dance with my daughter.
Play swords with my grandson.
Hang out with my neighbors at the end of the cul-de-sac like when we first moved here 20 years ago.
Realize how precious and fragile life is, and not take the time I have left on earth for granted.

God:  Let me see what I can do.

For the first time in my life, I feel connected to the 8 billion people of this world, and it took me being forced into isolation to do it.  I’m not ignorant of the very real fear for our health, our finances, and our freedoms that this pandemic has caused.  Jacob Maret did a beautiful job last week outlining the seriousness of what we are facing.  However often during tough times, there is a fruit that can come from it:

• Quarantined people in Wuhan can hear birds outside their windows for the first time since there is no noise pollution.
• The smog over China has cleared.
• The water in Venice are so clear you can see fish, and the first dolphin in 60 years was spotted swimming in the city canals.
• Italians are singing to each other from their balconies.
• A fitness trainer in Spain ran a roof top class with people participating from their balconies.
• A couple at Irma’s in Houston and left a $9,400 tip for the entire staff to help them eat over the next few weeks.
• Whataburger delivered food to exhausted HEB grocery employees.
• I see Dad’s jogging with their kids and a pick-up game of shirts vs skins basketball (no defense for 6ft distancing) on a neighborhood hoop.

No one understands the redemptive qualities of suffering like those of the Catholic faith.  Regardless of how bad things might seem, there is a greater good there if you look for it.

Stay safe my brothers.  Looking forward to spending time with you when all of this is over.