Let's Pause...

Let’s Pause……For Just a Moment

These are unprecedented times we are living in.

The writer, Solomon, while recounting his life is asking the question “what is the meaning of life”?

What he realizes is that sometimes human insight cannot provide a clue as to what is meaningful and only comes from “the wisdom which is from above.”  In one of the most beautiful poems in Solomon’s writing, he shows how there is purpose and balance to all things, even in our present circumstances. 

There is a time for everything,
    and a season for every activity under the heavens:
2     a time to be born and a time to die,
    a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3     a time to kill and a time to heal,
    a time to tear down and a time to build,
4     a time to weep and a time to laugh,
    a time to mourn and a time to dance,
5     a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
    a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
6     a time to search and a time to give up,
    a time to keep and a time to throw away,
7     a time to tear and a time to mend,
    a time to be silent and a time to speak,
8     a time to love and a time to hate,
    a time for war and a time for peace.

Take a moment to consider these words and see which of these statements applies to today.

The pandemic is an event  most of us have never seen in our lifetimes. Our routines have been disrupted. Some people have had their livelihoods destroyed, and others have lost a family member or friend.  The economy has been reset and could take years to recover; as many as 10 years some experts say.  And just when we are seeing some improvement, a flattening of the curve and slowly opening up the economy, George Floyd is murdered right before the eyes of people all across the nation.  Another pandemic? The scope of a pandemic affects either an entire country or the entire world as a whole. I think we are at a point in history to decide if we are going to treat this social pandemic.  I heard a quote from Kareem Abdul-Jabbar today that really hit me. “Racism is like dust or pollen, when you stand in a room you don’t see it, but when you shine a flashlight on it, it is everywhere.”

As we move forward in the next days and weeks and months, let’s take a minute to stop and consider what is happening around us.  Let us consider our own perceptions and prejudices. Our current sources for information are significantly flawed. The news is biased. Social media is filled with emotion, unfiltered hatred, and unproven facts about the COVID-19 pandemic. It is up to us to push the pause button just for a moment and make sure that we are standing on solid ground.  Consider the acronym STOP. It stands for Stop, Take a breath, Observe, and Proceed.  Proceed with a level head and a pure heart.  Human lives and the stability of our country hang in the balance.

Our relationships have been significantly impacted during these times, and in some ways, for the better. For me these circumstances have allowed me to speak and act more completely from my heart, and not so much from routine and reaction.

We are amazing people!  For every negative news story, there are dozens of instances of generosity, compassion and service to others.  These stories go largely unreported.  Let’s hold on to what we have learned and live on in the spirit of camaraderie.   

So, what is it for you?  Line 7 of Solomon’s poem rings true to me.

7     a time to tear and a time to mend,
    a time to be silent and a time to speak.

Stop and take a breath.