Here we are in July 2020, at a place none of us could have fully imagined this time last year. It’s not just the pandemic itself that is difficult; it’s also the seemingly countless areas of fallout caused by the virus: Isolation. Unemployment for some. Uncertainty. Being cooped up, either alone, with those we love, or perhaps with those we have a difficult time loving. Medical facilities and personnel maxed out. No church as we knew it seven months ago. And perhaps most devastating for many of us … no singing … at least, not in robust choral groups designed to provide us emotional therapy, unite us, engulf our spirits, inspire our hearts, recharge our energy, and restore our souls.
We mourn nearly 150,000 lives lost across the United States since March. For some of us, that big six-digit number has hit much closer to home. We have lost friends, family, colleagues, mentors, protégés, and in some cases, even our own students. It is a national tragedy being made increasingly personal as time goes on.
We need to support each other as never before, a need made more challenging by difficult separation. In this article series, we hope to provide some new ideas or perhaps just reminders to better attend to one another. The task may seem overwhelming considering the magnitude of the need. However, by systematically doing our individual parts one day at a time, we in the YouthCUE network can have an enormous impact for good upon our world. We can do this!
This article title asks a question and seeks a response. We really are interested in knowing how you are and if there’s any specific way we can assist you. Please let us know. Let’s stay connected as best we can.
Many of you have asked how YouthCUE is faring, both the organization itself as well as the staff. The answer to that is a sort of a mixed bag as it is with almost everyone with whom we speak. We’re doing okay, surviving the time one day at a time and, occasionally, thriving. One thing we have discovered is that, as a ministry, as a YouthCUE team, and as individuals, we all seem to do much better when we focus upon connecting with and serving others. That should be no mystery, because that’s the way it has always been in the human condition. When we become bogged down in our own needs and frustrations, a myopic view of life is enough to make anyone miserable. On the other hand, reaching out to others has a way of healing us and helping us to better face our own challenges.
Let’s never forget the crucial importance of our relationships!
Randy Edwards [email protected]
