Written by Holly Paulette

Dear Next Year’s Me,

Is it true? We made it to 2021? That, in and of itself, feels miraculous. What a doozy this year has been, and it’s barely May.

Lest you forgot--a pandemic ravaged our world this year. I filled up my ol’ minivan for less than $20, especially thanks to our growing Kroger Rewards because our family eats approximately one million more meals than before. Schools have been out since Spring Break. Restaurants are only offering carry-out, if that (please tell me Nagoya opened back up). I had to crowd-source two pounds of chicken from my group texts to be able to make dinner one night. I homeschooled our wild child, with a toddler and newborn in tow. Birthdays were celebrated by drive-by parades, weddings took place on Zoom, and--most heartbreaking of all--funerals were postponed. And that’s just in my little world. The world around us saw tragic numbers of illness, death, and pain.

But--it wasn’t all terrible, and because we’re a people prone to forgetting, here’s a list of a few things I want to remember coming out of this season of quarantine:

Appreciate church. In the hustle and bustle of Sunday mornings, in fastening hair bows and in incessant reminders to put shoes on, in the race to get a seat in the sanctuary (VBC--if you know, you know)--remind your soul what it felt like to worship alongside just those you’ve spent every other waking (and sleeping) hour with. You know the “greet-your-neighbor” minute that all the introverts dread? Embrace it! Greet your dang neighbor with genuine hospitality. I can only imagine the cheesy grin I’ll have on my face when we are able to safely gather again. It may be hidden by a mask, but it’ll be there. What a gift it is to love our local church and church body so much that we grieved the absence of it for months. I pray I’ll never forget how much I missed it.

Embrace slowness. Before all this went down, I thought that “being busy” equated to “being productive.” I reveled in a full calendar and felt restless with free time, convincing myself that slow mornings and relaxing nights were time-wasters. Now, we’re forced to be bored, and it’s a glorious thing. Boredom has forced creativity. I’ve made new recipes, relished in nonsense conversations with our toddler, destroyed our seven-year-old in UNO without an ounce of shame, snuggled our new baby without glancing at a device, and read books upon books upon books. I may not have produced as much stuff, but the slower pace has produced precious, unhurried memories.

Lean into community. Zoom book club meetings, Marco Polo group chats, and six-feet-away conversations suffice, but absolutely nothing compares to being with friends and family in person. The feel of a tight hug cannot be replaced by stilted virtual hangouts. I know you’re tired and your introversion can be an easy excuse to stay in, but it is a privilege to know and be known by people. Don’t take for granted the generosity of God in the form of people to do life alongside. Linger longer on front porches, say “yes” to impromptu Margarita nights, and invite people in.

Go roam Target. Trust me. And while you’re there, buy an extra pack of toilet paper. Just in case.

Love,
The Still-Quarantined 2020 You