It’s happening.
After weeks, months even, of sheltering in place, being safer at home, or in full-blown lockdown mode, many states are starting the process of reopening. While it may come as a relief to some, it may cause a lot of uneasiness for others. Whether you plan on venturing out or not, we must all be flexible as we settle into the “new normal” that the outside world will present us. We can’t stay inside forever (hopefully, you’ve not been cramped up inside this whole time), so we might as well prepare for what the immediate future holds. And since Covid-19 isn’t going away for the foreseeable future, precautions such as social distancing may need to be in place into 2022, some experts believe.
The White House has unveiled official guidelines for opening up America. With rules and regulations differing from state to state, it’s a good idea to check and see what’s to be expected in your particular town. You can find out how your state is planning to move forward here.
Whether your state is easing into phases or simply flinging the city gates wide open, you can expect life not to go back to the way it was. You may find it harder to get a table at your favorite restaurant. You may find that toilet paper is still the hottest commodity in this upside-down world or that hand-sanitizer is more valuable than liquid gold. You may find that people have become one with their masks and gloves. You may find that people are stuck with an elevated sense of fear because of the uneasiness and uncertainty of it all.
Restrictions and a different way of going about our day to day lives are inevitable at this point. It’s just the way things are going to be for a long while.
The bottom line is to walk in the Spirit of compassion, faith, kindness, and generosity. We have not been given the Spirit of fear. We HAVE been given the Spirit of power, love, and a sound mind. If there ever is a time to walk by faith and not by sight, it’s now, when the world around us is in crisis mode. We are living in uncertain times; it’s true. But what’s truer still is that we can live with a peace that surpasses all the uncertainty, misinformation, restrictions, and fear that this “new normal” is throwing our way. There’s no need to fear this. Go out and live your best life, and remember to be kind and give all kinds of grace to each other. You may just have to do it from six feet away for a little while longer.
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