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What does normal look like? Can we ever go back to pre-pandemic times? I have no doubt many of you have asked this question, with no immediate answer in sight. All of us want to return to what life was like before COVID hit, but I do not think we can. First, we must note the heavy toll on life: As of this writing, nearly 800,000 Americans have died and over 5.5 million world-wide. Countless families have been impacted, from young through old. Many never had the opportunity to say goodbye to their loved ones, who expired while on respirators as doctors and nurses in pandemic gear worked feverishly to save their lives. Some were the sole breadwinners of their families. Some died far too young. Some died alone. The impact of COVID will be felt for generations, as each human life mattered.

What sort of near-term future awaits us, without me getting too dystopic? Will masks be something that we regularly carry, utilized far more frequently than we could imagine? Will we be advised to receive an annual COVID booster, much like we receive an annual flu shot? Will new variants suddenly appear, as we seem to be living our lives on a roller coaster? I have more questions than there are answers at this time, but some things I can answer, and they have to do with how we respond.

My experiences post-10.27 helped prepare me in ways unexpected for the pandemic, and I will try to glean some of what I learned that might help you continue on.

• Compassion and Patience. All of us respond differently to traumatic events, and there is no one-size-fits-all solution. What might seem like something easy to you might be very difficult for someone else, and vice versa. We must model our humanity by being patient with those having a rough time and show them compassion. This is how we would want to be treated, and thus this is how we must treat others. Remember the Golden Rule: What is distasteful to you do not do to your neighbor.
• Volunteerism. How can I help? What special skills do you bring that might be needed?
• Pick up the phone. Isolation continues to be a problem, especially for those who live alone. Pick up the phone and call people in your life, even if it is just a three-minute “I just was thinking of you and wanted to see how you are doing” moment.
• Listen Carefully. Someone you know may be having trouble and be in need of a mental health specialist. If you hear that person is regularly depressed, expresses thoughts or comments that concern you, or just has no get-up-and-go, see if you can delicately raise the question that they may need some help to work through their challenges. It is not a sign of weakness to recognize that one needs help; it is a sign of strength. And mental health for too long has erroneously been stigmatized. We must move past that. Trauma does not necessarily occur during an event, but can occur days, weeks, months, and even years later.

Many have tired of hearing pat phrases like “we will get through this together”, but that is indeed how it works. One jigsaw puzzle piece does not create a 2,000-piece puzzle. Every piece has a role, but the puzzle is incomplete without every piece fitting properly. A pandemic is a time when our outer defenses have worn down, and our true selves are revealed for all to see. What does your true self model? I would hope that the few gleanings that I shared with you will help direct you towards a productive and meaningful life during this pandemic, for this is indeed the time that our humanity, that spark of God within each of us, is called upon to shine brightly. May your spark bring warmth to others and illuminate the way forward.