Hey Rona!
I am trying to wrap my head around how a pandemic that has caused pandemonium across the world in the space of a few weeks as you have is now referred to by a term of endearment. Yaani how? You arrived and took centre stage just like that. Nay, you’ve hogged the whole stage and have a captive global audience.
The reality though is that for so many people, communities, businesses and countries the feeling is of a captured audience. Covid-19 aka Corona aka Rona you crept stealthily into our lives and before we knew it, you were everywhere, wreaking havoc. Turning just about everything topsy turvy. Controlling, demanding most if not all of our attention, flashy and very high maintenance. Yeah it’s true. I do not know who does colour coding for viruses and pandemics and how they do it but red is the colour most used for you. It is not enough that you are causing physical death and despair, you have also caused the death and despair of the hearts and minds of so many.
You have continued to quietly move into very many neighbourhoods despite the fact that nobody wants you as a neighbour and you have taken over relationships in families, schools, workplaces, businesses, governments, everywhere. Even relationships with God. It is as if life revolves around you. That’s not right. I wouldn’t be wrong to say that many people would say “It’s complicated!” about their relationship with you.
In a very strange way, people and governments are fighting over you. Some nations are even waging war within themselves over you whilst waging war against other nations over you. How will these divided houses stand? Rumours, information and misinformation, theories and conspiracy theories and research about you abound. Medical research, national intelligence research, business research, socio-impact research, religious research. But you … you seem to be just there. Silent. Not yet yielding any secrets, yet. Thriving on the vert chaos you’ve created.
True Rona some people are getting into the flow of the new normal. Others are determined to define what the new normal will be. Some for good others with nefarious intentions. For so many though life is at a standstill. There are such high stress levels in the here and now because of the abrupt end to normal, the harsh reality that we are more limited than we thought and the very abrupt way you have confined some dear people and some aspects of life into chapters of history gone by. Terrible. Then there’s the fear factor about what tomorrow will bring. It is extra at another level! And, it is real …. Are you the face of the apocalypse? Who or what started you? When will you end? How you will end? Will you end!? What is your full impact going to be?
You see why I find it difficult to understand how you even have a term of endearment? I smile when I think about how I struggled to start this letter with “Dear Rona”. Since I do not know how to start a letter with just a name, I made do with Hey Rona! But perhaps I should just have been formal and said Dear Covid-19. But that sounds …. meh! Now see. You truly are a trouble maker. That one has to be concerned about sounding meh about such an obtrusively intrusive relationship. Actually I should have used alias instead of aka when listing your names because there is so much that is sinister about you. Yes, alias suits you better Covid-19 alias Corona alias Rona.
Wait! As I write and process my thoughts I have had an “Aha!” moment. Okay so at the very best many of your effects are here to stay. That I accept. You are now a very significant influencer of life. That I accept. But I choose not to allow you to be the centre of my life. Boundaries I must draw and I must guard my God given purpose jealously. Ecclesiastes 3:1&15 tells me “There is a time and a season for everything. Whatever is has already been and what will be has been before”. This detour in my life’s journey will end but pursuing my life’s purpose cannot be put on hold until then. So I am pressing on resolutely. Prayerfully checking out what unexpected new things I can learn and enjoy. Making the most of every opportunity to grow and develop my spiritual, mental, emotional and physical muscle and flexibility. I am using the brickbats you are throwing all around to build a future. I am praying, living, crying, laughing, loving, sharing, trying, failing, trying again, succeeding, learning, impacting others forever and keeping hope eternal that does not disappoint alive.
Rona …. another letter another day.
Change Leadership Chronicles ©
