This time last year I think that many of us would have felt that the events of the past few months could never happen. It would have felt like something from a science fiction novel, a potentially interesting plot but far too unrealisitc to be actually true. Sadly, it is true and as we begin to take our tentative steps back to real life many of us are now relfecting on the things that COVID-19 robbed us of and perhaps some of the blessings that came with the slower pace of life.
One thing that has happened as a reuslt of lockdown and social distacing is the pausing of major milestones in life. In the blink of an eye, those things that we take for granted were gone - weddings, funerals, baptisms, baby namings, communions, confirmations, Bar Mitzvahs, Bat Mitzvahs, graduations, memorial services, the list goes on. With these canellations came great worry, stress, anxiety and pain.
I think it is only when we are prevented from celebrating these milestones in life that we realise just how important they are. They are a phyiscal way to mark things that are eteral and abstract. It allows us to put words and rituals on moments that are charged with emotion and menaing. These events are important, we do them for a reason and perhaps that reason is because deep down inside us we all have a longing to connect and share experiences that have meaning and depth.
As we slowly emerge from this time many people are wondeing if they should just move on, accept that those events have been lost and get on with things. I say no, they are too important to forget about. I encourage eveyone considering otherwise to rearrange the wedding, resechedule the baby naming, replan the party. COVID-19 took a lot from us in the past few months but it does not need to take those extra special events that people had planned for, that give meaning to life and that generate memories that people will cherish for years to come.