Four years ago tonight, Rhonda and I were supposed to be in New York City for the baby naming of our granddaughter, Eva. That, of course, was put on hold.
Instead, we stayed in Las Cruces, on lockdown with everyone else, as the COVID-19 pandemic had begun. Instead of leading a service at Temple Beth-El in person on March 20, 2020, I was leading the service on Facebook Live, a skill I had already learned. I had just acquired Zoom software three days earlier, served as Zoommaster at the Temple Board meeting the night before, and led Temple Torah study the next morning on Zoom.
Life drastically changed. I retired as planned on June 30, five days after the congregation hosted, on Zoom, a wonderful virtual retirement gathering which brought people together from all around the country.
We decided not to move to Overland Park until the late spring of 2021, if possible. Rhonda had planned to teach in the 2020-2021 school year at pre-school, but the prospect of online teaching led her to decide to join me in retirement in 2020.
We did both have COVID-19 twice over the last four years, with Paxlovid and vaccinations offering us extra protection. Too, too many people were not so fortunate, and we mourn them, and we wish those who have long COVID continued strength and healing.
So, the question comes…are we, in our home and family, better off than we were four years ago?
Resoundingly, yes.
And the national leader of that time, four years ago, is still calling people like me, with my views, a bad Jew. Okay, some things don’t change. And others might define me in a negative light due to some aspect of my Jewishness or my connection with friends and family in Israel. Actually, that, also, is NOT a change. It just bubbled up to the surface due to new realities and tragedies. Still, compassion needs to go in all directions, as does listening, if we are to live together in this world.
I know from personal experience how hard leadership can be, but it has to be practiced with a mind of serving others while taking care of yourself, but not serving only or primarily yourself.
Life’s lessons. They are hard. Let’s keep living, and helping each other survive and thrive.
No comments:
Post a Comment