The weather was grey, but I set out on a morning walk down the boulevard of my town. Goal: find a good place to be alone and do some writing. Out in the distance I saw a man walking in the opposite direction, toward me. He was tall and wore long black coattails, boots and a black hat. As he continued walking he reached for the scarf that lay around his neck and, covering the lower half of his face, plotted a course to my left. I stepped out to the empty street on my right. When finally we met and passed each other from a safe distance, we nodded our heads in greeting. Within a few moments the encounter was over, yet there was something about it that left me with a lingering, eerie feeling. Perhaps it was my mind conjuring up a scene from an empty landscape of the Old West (seriously, the streets were otherwise empty and the guy reminded me of Wyatt Earp). Or that without any words spoken between us, we knew exactly what was expected of us and filled our roles perfectly.

This is our day, and we are experiencing life in the time of the coronavirus.

Living with a worldwide pandemic has been a far-reaching experience for everyone. Even those of us not directly affected by sickness, death or unemployment have experienced sweeping changes to our lifestyles, living out versions every day of what we’re seeing in the news in our own homes, jobs and lives. Certainly what we’re experiencing has opened our minds to thoughts and questions that we never considered before. One friend of mine put it this way – she said it seems like her life has been given a “reset button” – an opportunity to change things up and to re-think what is really important to her. I’ve been doing my own thinking and have come to two conclusions: The first is that I am struck with the many positive outcomes I have seen. The second conclusion is tied to the first, and really is a question: How will I live differently once this is all over?

Before the pandemic, I sometimes felt that I was cramming as much as I could into each day, with many of those activities being non-essential. The shelter-in-placer order basically forced me to SLOW DOWN, and even took away the ability to do some of those unnecessary things. With less on my plate to do and to think about, I’ve felt more peace and have been better able to care for myself.

I’ve witnessed families finding new ways of engaging with each other: taking walks, riding bikes or playing ball in their front yards. For indoor activities I’m guessing that crossword puzzles have become a hot, new form of entertainment; the other day I noticed a completely sold-out puzzle section at my local Target!

We are living differently than we were before. Perhaps with this different living we are redefining for ourselves and for our families what is actually necessary to keep us entertained or keep us happy.

One thing I have really appreciated during this time is the increased solidarity I’m seeing across the U.S and the world. How ironic that it’s our physical separation from other human beings that has provided us with a compelling, shared experience. Add to that experience the common goal of knocking out this virus, and you’ve got a strong sense of unity spreading across the country and world.

And speaking of the world, of no small consequence is what is happening with our planet; with the humans doing some serious hunkering down, Mother Earth has been put toward a path of healing. She is boasting better air quality, clearer skies, clearer oceans, and even an awakening of wildlife. Experts have said this is like a grand, unexpected experiment in nature. I think the results are nothing short of extraordinary.

It’s clear that this strange time has definitely had its benefits, yet we can also see that the drastic changes which led to these benefits have put millions out of work and devastated our economy. A double-edged sword, it is. The question is begged: Is there middle ground? Can we find a way to restore our economy in ways that will still allow for some of these newly implemented practices to be carried forward?

Over the last month millions of employers have utilized technology and other creative means to allow employees to work from home. It is amazing what we can do when we apply our minds to a problem. I’m no economic expert, but I am sure that a sustainable work-from-home model is one key to the improved situation I’m envisioning for our future.

I know what I will try to carry forward in my own life. As far as society is concerned, it remains to be seen what will happen once this emergency is over. We’ve seen a glimpse of the good that is possible; it’s my hope we will find a way to carry at least some of it forward.

Donning facial coverings (his much cooler than mine), my grandson and I walked into a convenience store. We don’t live together, so we kept six feet of distance between us as we negotiated its narrow aisles. Did the shopkeeper think we were freaks? Or worse yet, that he was about to be the victim of a hold-up? No, of course not! Scenes like this and many other previously unheard of sights and behaviors are the new normal. This is life in the time of the coronavirus. And it’s sure been different.

Conversations with others include phrases like, “Isn’t this crazy..” or “Isn’t this nuts?!” Context instantly understood. No explanation needed. Shelter-in-place, social-distancing, quarantining; these words reflect a lifestyle that the majority of us have adopted, even embraced. We are all in this together.

Like you, my husband and I are no longer eating in restaurants or visiting coffee houses; the downtown area of our community resembles a ghost town. We want to support the economy and our local merchants and find creative ways to still do date night, so we’ve been making use of take-out and drive-thru opportunities. Last weekend we picked up dinner from a local Italian place; the entire transaction was conducted over a small table placed at their door. Once back in the car, we gelled up with sanitizer then drove into the hills and found an overlook where we could park. We sat and ate our spaghetti, joking that our “restaurant” was so exclusive, we were the only patrons. And oh, what a view!

Life is more secluded now. It’s been weeks since we’ve met with our church communities or gotten together with friends. It’s really hard to not hug our own kids or grandkids on the now-infrequent occasions that we see them.

Like many of you who are still working, there have been major changes to the way I do my job. After a series of organizational gymnastics, my workplace landed on its feet and is now delivering services to clients in a way that has never been done before. We’ve also been able to conduct virtual business meetings using remote videoconferencing technology. It’s so interesting to see the faces of my co-workers, each in their own setting. Witnessing and being a part of this journey has been incredible.

My husband and I go for walks because we know fresh air and exercise are good for us. We see people wearing masks here and there, and we practice social distancing with anyone we pass by. Sometimes we venture further out for things like groceries or gas. If you haven’t been to Costco lately and are planning a trip there, be prepared to wait in line (while maintaining social distancing) for over an hour! They’re monitoring the number of customers they let in the store at one time, and I’m grateful they’re doing this, but seriously, it’s like the line for Space Mountain. In the summer! Touching things while out in the world sometimes just can’t be avoided – like door handles (I use my sleeve) and point-of-sale terminals. After making purchases, I go thru a whole routine to avoid passing germs onto other surfaces like my car-door handle, my steering wheel, or the door knob of my house. I leave non-perishable goods I’ve purchased to sit for awhile before putting them away. Yes, it goes on and on and on. But I know you don’t think I’m crazy. I know you’re doing some of these same things yourself.

We’ve doubled up on food storage and emergency supplies, and are always on the lookout for bleach, hydrogen peroxide and hand sanitizer. And then there’s everyone’s personal quest – toilet paper! I’ll confess we’ve been stocking up on newspaper in the event that TP never appears on the shelves of stores again.

I read the paper, I watch the news. I’m sometimes hopeful, I’m sometimes scared. I am acutely aware of the suffering that is being experienced by so many. Of the infection and death numbers that are climbing each week. Of the bravery and selflessness of those serving our communities and those caring for the sick. In countless ways all over the country, we have risen boldly to the occasion cast upon us. We’ve got to stick with what we are doing because it is working. It’s working!

I can’t help but see that good is coming from this. For one, the situation has enabled us to examine our lives with new eyes. There may even be some practices, or things we’ve learned, that we’ll want to keep with us once the crisis has passed. Please join me next time as we take a look at what some of those things could be.

I was born to parents who came of age during World War II. While growing up, my mom told me stories of living with the rationing of gasoline, coffee and other items. My dad served in the Navy, on a cargo ship in the Pacific. No doubt, he faced days where fear and loneliness were present. I have great admiration for that generation, particularly for their ability to make personal sacrifices and pull together for a common cause. Their job: defeat a force that threatened the security and future of the entire world.

In August of 2001 our local blood bank conducted several blood drives because donations were down and as a result, blood supplies were at low levels. Then September 11th happened. Once we recovered from the initial shock, we wanted to help in any way that was within our power. People began donating blood; so much so that the blood bank, sadly, had to actually throw blood away. We witnessed firsthand how this event in our history brought us together in a way that many of us had never witnessed. In our personal lives, it gave us a chance to reflect on what was truly important. As a society, it gave us a common goal: overcome the threatening evil of terrorism.

Within the last few weeks, a new enemy has swiftly and unexpectedly entered our world: the coronavirus. As the situation escalated day by day, sometimes hour by hour, we were jolted into our new reality. Tanks and guns will not help with this threat. Instead, we’ve been asked to distance ourselves from one another. We’ve been asked to change the way we live, at least for the next few weeks. In recent White House press conferences, doctors Deborah Birx and Anthony Fauci of the Coronavirus Task Force, have expressed with conviction their concerns that young people may feel they are “invincible,” or at the least, less likely to become seriously ill, and that in making these assumptions, they may not be taking social-distancing to heart. These doctors expressed their view that all of us have a social responsibility to each other, and they warned that “we cannot do this without the cooperation of the young people.” From protecting our own loved ones to contributing to the stop of the spread at large, every single generation has a role to play.

Their pleas touched me, and got me really thinking about the battle that all of us are engaged in. Our job, in words of the experts, is “to knock this thing out.” We’ve watched as classes have been cancelled and schools shut down, non-essential businesses close their doors, sporting events and crowd-drawing activities, cancelled, elective travel become almost non-existent. I have friends and family members who have been impacted by the cancellation of long-awaited special events such as high school graduation, and a wedding. Many of you know people in that situation, or you are in that situation yourself. We have never seen anything like this. Our children, unable to play with friends or even go to school, are learning to “shelter-in-place.” Yes, it is hard for them. But here exists a golden opportunity: we can frame this ordeal for our kids, grandkids, nieces, nephews and other children we mentor, in a way that will help them understand the magnitude of their contribution. By sheltering-in-place and practicing social distancing when outside their homes, they are not only protecting themselves and their loved ones, they are literally contributing to a crucial, global cause.

All generations are in this together. The degree to which we are successful in our sacrifice may determine how well we survive this health and economic crisis. With our examples from the past to look to, and lessons we are learning today from what has and hasn’t worked in other countries, it is my hope we will rise to the occasion. It’s up to us. This is our moment.