We live in a world of comparisons. Having three students in my home, I see it all the time. Class rank? GPA? Starter or second string? First chair or third? Beginning or ending the recital? I suppose it is human nature to compare ourselves to others, and that becomes the norm for our thinking and living.
After the governor announced the physical closure of all schools someone posted on social media that high school seniors should not be too upset for missing the final days of their senior year, or prom, or graduation as planned. The reason graduating seniors should not be upset, according to the post, is because a couple of generations ago, high school young men missed the end of their senior year in order to go to war in Vietnam. Staying at home in isolation, according to the post, was much easier and less severe than going to war. Therefore seniors (and their families) should not grieve over this loss. Just compare yourself to that (his) generation.
I understand the idea. And I get that what my high school senior daughter is experiencing is less severe than going to war. But I also understand that our grief as humans doesn’t exactly work that way.
In Powhatan County, there is (maybe) one confirmed case of COVID 19. I personally know one person who has been tested for the virus, and that test came back negative. There are some individuals in our country and around the world who have already lost several family members who have died because of this pandemic. The citizens of New York City and New Orleans and Seattle and Detroit are facing a much tougher time than we are in Virginia, and certainly than we are in Powhatan. But even though we are suffering less it does not mean that our grief is any less valid.
Yes, there are people in the world who have it much worse than we do, but that does not mean that our grief, fear, and despair are any less real. You have the right to feel pain during this pandemic. It is frightening. It is painful to be apart. We don’t know when it will end. There is great uncertainty. And just because there are people in other places who are facing tougher challenges doesn’t mean that we should not feel pain.
God knows the pain of our hearts. He knows our sadness and our fear. While this pandemic will not be taken away today or this week, God will take care of you today. And he will not leave you. And whatever you face, pain that some would consider great or small, God will sustain you and not leave you forsaken.