“And then one day the man looked up and half the year was over.“
It’s been an eventful summer. We started off with a drought and no storms at all. Then mid-June came along with high winds and severe storms that resulted in a 41 hour power outage, lots of trees and branches down, and lots of cleanup. I was feeling good on Friday as we had picked up everything, lawns were mowed, and things were looking ship-shape again. Then Saturday storms came and with them, lots of flooding. We lost two more trees and the humidity has been off-the-charts, so cleanup is going a little slower. On the flip side, the skies have been beautiful and dramatic with clouds, sun rays and color — so that’s fun for taking photos! Plus throw in T-Ball games, bike rides, and a few beach days and hanging out and it’s still been some good times.
In the midst of all this, I have been to the dentist thrice and visiting the chiropractor weekly. Perhaps I am getting old. It’s crazy. That COVID thing really kicked me down. My sense of smell hasn’t returned fully. I catch familiar scents here and there, but not fully. And lately there have been instances of smelling things that smell horrible, but they aren’t really there. Phantom bad smells? It’s so weird. There are studies being done on what is now being called “Long-COVID” — people who deal with random effects of COVID long after they had it. In my case, that was early November. From fatigue and lack of energy to brain fog, the symptoms vary from person to person. But hey, it’s just like the common cold or the flu, right? The fact that people repeated that erroneous statement ad-nauseam during the pandemic makes me roll my eyes. But here we are. And things are slowly returning to some sort of “normal” as they say.
In my bedroom there hangs a large crucifix that was given to me years ago by my Gram Pemrick. It belonged to her parents. Every morning before I leave, I pause there with my hand on the head and heart of Christ for a few moments of prayer. I pray the sign of the cross over myself — God, center me: Be in my head, in my heart, on my right hand and on my left. I pray for my family — whoever comes to mind, my nieces and nephews; my Voice family and friends — those who are dealing with personal struggles, physical and mental health problems, depression, financial struggles. I pray grace and peace and hope. I end with a healing prayer for my body, and speak life over myself. Especially on days when I am not feeling well, this morning prayer helps to center me, to align my thoughts upward.
So to those in the struggle — to those dealing with physical or mental health issues, to those who are lonely, depressed, feel forgotten; those who are losing their marriages, struggling with their children; to those who are missing communion with the Divine or feel that they are overlooked or unloved; please don’t give up. This has been a long year and a half and so many are dealing with private pain and struggle. Throw politics and misinformation into the mix of it all and we have people stretched thin with tension and anxiety.
There’s a verse I often repeat — “Be Still and Know that I Am the Divine” (Psalm 46:10). Essentially: stop what you are doing. Step out of the busyness of everyday life. Get off the beaten path and stroll down the road less traveled. Look upward and breathe. Center yourself on the Divine and quiet down your busy mind. There is hope. There is life. Even when it seems impossible or unlikely, light and love wins. It wins over darkness. It wins over hopelessness and discouragement and anger. Love never fails (I Cor. 13). Hold to that.
Thank you for your perspective and encouragement, Josh. I agree with you whole-heartedly. I’m sorry the phantom negative scents are coming in. I hope that’s an indication that the sense of smell is trying to make a comeback. I’m personally hoping common sense and decency returns as well. 🙂