“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give onto you; not as the world giveth, give unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” – John 14:27
Many years ago, when I was beginning my writing career, I also took in typing jobs to earn extra income. I loved typing, therefore, I considered it to be a relaxing endeavor.
Once in a while, I was commissioned to type an essay paper for a college student. In the process of typing, reading cannot be helped, so I often learned something interesting. It was during one of these assignments, typing for a student working toward a psychology degree, when I first learned about how birth order can affect personality. This was fascinating to me as I am one of six children and my husband is one of ten. We are both the third child, but I am the third daughter and he is the first son. These little facts, and more, all make a difference in how one’s personality develops.
That student’s paper unlocked a desire in me to learn more about personalities and how they manifest into human behavior. How do different personalities affect relationships, work ethic, motivational skills, learning abilities, etc.? I began with reading about birth order, but footnotes and discussions led me to look into Myers-Briggs, Enneagram (EnneagramInstitute.com), and other similar topics. I found it remarkably helpful, not only to have a better understanding of myself, but to better appreciate others and what they have to offer. Perceiving how a fellow human may interpret a situation differently than I would, can only be beneficial in any relationship interaction. Rather than being “my way or the highway,” I can be “I see how you might have that perspective.”
Through all of this personality research, I have been affirmed to be the person I innately knew myself to be. I am a people person! Of course, being a creative person, I most definitely require a certain amount of alone time to see projects through to completion, but, for the most part, I do my best work in a crowd. I get some of my best ideas at parties. I love to write at the coffee shop. I love to sew in a quilting class. I love to crochet with a group of friends. Mostly, I love to pray in a church full of parishioners. The energy of others lifts me to my fullest potential!
So . . . the pandemic shutdowns really got to me. I haven’t been seriously depressed or suffered anything physical, nor have I acquired anything even slightly damaging. Through the last twenty-one months, I have stayed aware of the sufferings of others, and remained grateful for many blessings my husband and I enjoy. We’ve been fortunate to not have too many extreme changes in our routines. I finished a number of quilting projects and started even more new ones (check out the tab “Pandemic Progress”), and much of my handwork has been charitable, further lifting my spirits. However, I felt lost and remote much of the time. I yearned to be with others.
My last Blog post was November 2019, more than two years ago. Ted and I moved from Connecticut to North Carolina a few months earlier. We were just beginning to make friends and join activities when lock downs began. Between our relocation and the forced seclusion, my people energy pipeline was abruptly cut off, as was my desire to write.
I kept my creative juices flowing with quilting, crocheting, reading, and zoom calls, but I have specific goals for my Blog which I could not meet. For one thing, I like stories with teachable moments and happy endings. Again, I wasn’t miserable or anything, but the stories just were not coming to me. From day-break to day-through, it was just Ted, me, and a cat named Stew. Nothing new to see here. No experiences to share. No stories to tell.
One common rule among all who have experience success is to practice your gift every day. This is true for writing as well. Even when my energy for writing began to return, I was out of practice.
Slowly, very slowly, we have resumed some of our pre-pandemic activities. It’s nice to visit our new friends, go out to dinner, and thankfully, get back to church. The more I have been out experiencing life, the more my creative desires have grown.
Our first time back at mass was joyous but seemed a little foreign. Sitting near others felt uniquely strange, a feeling for which no analogy can be conjured. Pews were no longer cordoned off and masks were not required. For the most part, everyone seemed to rise above lingering fears in celebration of togetherness.
I don’t recall the name of the opening song, but I remember what I was thinking as we lifted our voices in elation for love of God. Even though it was the middle of summer, I thought about Christmas morning in Whoville (“How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” by Dr. Seuss). I pictured a Co-Vid shaped Grinch floating high above unable to penetrate the veil of Jesus’ protection all around us. Oh how confused and frustrated Co-Vid Grinch must have been, listening to our singing and wondering, what is this sound?
“Every Christian inside these walls,
the strong and the tall,
the frail and the small
they are singing
without any fear at all?”
He hadn’t stopped
Christians from coming.
They came
Some how or other,
they came just the same.
The Co-Vid Grinch,
as he looked down below,
stood puzzling and puzzling,
“How could it be so?”
They came mustering
all the strength that they could.
They came with their voices
to celebrate good.
They came with great news
and abilities to cope.
Because of faith in the God
who instills courage and hope.
“Maybe,” Co-Vid Grinch thought
when the music was through,
“When Jesus says,
‘Fear not. I am always with you!’
My power is small.
My power to scare is not big at all.
Grow a big heart, Co-Vid Grinch, and please stay away. In the meantime, I am going to try to keep my heart from being troubled by you.
Watch for my next Blog post coming soon!
Sew Write To Pray 