Dear Edwards Church Community,
On August 20th the Boston Globe ran a story that was partly playful, but mostly serious, about the usefulness to all of us of the lived experience and research into the mental health of submarine crews, astronauts, and other scientists who spend months in close quarters in remote locations. The headline, “They survived life on a submarine and at the South Pole. Here’s their advice for staying sane this winter,” also included this summary: “Create mini events to look forward to. Learn something new. Don’t fall into ‘Is it over yet?’ syndrome.”
Though it may not always feel like it, this summer has provided us with a relative breather from the constraints of the pandemic. The ability to spend time outside walking, cycling, gardening, or whatever else you enjoy helps you stay healthy in many ways. In addition to exercise, it relieves the cooped up feeling that inevitably comes from looking at the same four walls. And those of us lucky enough to live with family all know that, as much as we love each other, there are times when we all need a break.
Last April we went through what many of us probably assumed would be the worst part of the pandemic – the “surge” of cases in our area. Springfield and greater Boston probably had the worst of it in Massachusetts, but all of us knew (and still know) there is an invisible virus, for which we still have no vaccine and no medical treatment beyond supportive care. Other than minimizing transmission, we have no real defense to it.
Some of us have family members, if not our immediate family then extended, who have contracted the virus or have otherwise been affected. Some have become very sick. Others have lost their jobs. There is an undercurrent of sadness and loss that we cannot dispel by denial, pretending we are unaffected, or wishing it away. It will not, in all likelihood, end anytime soon. If you are struggling, please call me (413-531-9729) or Deb (413-275-5507).
People who have made it through extended periods of challenge, whether it was on a submarine, space flight, or research at the south pole, developed ways of coping. They had short term goals to celebrate. They kept structure in their lives. They found new ways of taking small, meaningful breaks. They kept learning and growing.
As a community of faith, we can do those sorts of things individually and together, in ways that deepen our faith and relatedness to each other and God. I hope that weekly worship is one way we are already doing it. Perhaps we can use this pandemic time to explore new practices that will feed us spiritually.
As we approach a new set of seasons, I am reminded of the advice offered by a Buddhist teacher: “You should sit in meditation for twenty minutes every day – unless you’re too busy; then you should sit for an hour.” A famous naturalist said the same thing about spending time outdoors. The point is simple: have a practice for taking care of body and soul, and follow it.
On the Spiritual Practices page of our website, you can find a number of good sites with “road tested” practices: https://edwardschurchnorthampton.org/faith-formation/spiritual-practices/ Reviewing that list for the first time in a while, I have added one of them to my list of current practices. Here are two consistent favorites:
UCC Daily Devotional: If you are not already a subscriber, try this daily devotional, delivered to your email in-box before sunrise. For the small investment of a very few minutes of quiet reading and reflection, you can experience a fresh insight and an uplifting or challenging perspective:
https://www.ucc.org/daily_devotional
inwardoutward.org: The weekly gospel reflection and daily quotation offered here are consistent gems: http://inwardoutward.org/
We are in this together. We cannot know what each step along the journey will be like, but this we know. God is with us in each and every step, and we are a community that embodies that. “Knowing that the road is long, we choose to walk together.”
Blessed to be among you,
Michael
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