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August 2020 Newsletter

I’ve been reading novels lately that are set in Europe during World War II. I’ve become impressed with how the citizens of European countries sacrificed. I had always known about the loss of life among soldiers and Jews, but only now have I realized how the war affected the day-to-day lives of non-Jewish citizens. Curfews, regular bombing raids, having to hold your head down when you encountered a German soldier in your occupied city, being taken out of your job and placed in another less-satisfying one – all these became part of everyday life. Also part of everyday life were shortages and rationing, something we also experienced in this country. Uncertainty and economic chaos, particularly for occupied nations, were prevalent.

Yet, despite all these hardships, the citizens of these countries prevailed. The war ended. Those in Western Europe began slowly to get back to normal after the war, although the normal was a little different than before. Most of the countries of Western Europe are still strong today. Those in Central Europe endured time under Soviet governance, yet, eventually, that, too, passed. Many of those countries are stable and robust today, as well.
As I’ve read all these novels, I couldn’t help thinking about our country and its virus-related difficulties. We don’t have it as bad as those occupied countries did in World War II, of course. Yet we are making sacrifices. We still face shortages and travel restrictions. Not all of our favorite restaurants are open, school isn’t what we want or expect, and we can’t worship or attend other events with large numbers of people. Some of us aren’t able to work in the jobs we once had, or, at least, have to work differently. Uncertainty and economic chaos are prevalent, too.

Our time of sacrifice will end. We don’t know exactly when, although, I believe it will not be nearly as long as the war. And, we will survive and thrive on the other side of this pandemic. We are strong people, and God will help us.

In our frustrations and anxiety, let’s remember that people have struggled at other times in history and that, with God’s help, people prevailed in those struggles. And we will prevail, too.

Let us also remember the saying from Julian of Norwich: All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well.”

No matter how frustrating and confusing life gets, God is with us.

Randi+

August 2020 Newsletter

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