An Open Letter to Those Grieving During Coronavirus

Dear Friends,

One thing is for CERTAIN about Coronavirus: it has provoked an emotional response in us all. Fear? Anxiousness? Frustration? Exhaustion? Yea, me too.

But today, on March 18, 2020, I am overcome with sadness because of all the things COVID-19 is robbing from us. For some of you, it is a sense of security. For others, it’s your child’s state basketball game or your senior’s prom and graduation. There are weddings to be postponed, graduations that won’t be rescheduled and milestones that won’t get celebrated.

Today is one of those days for me. See, today my best friend of 35 years is having a milestone birthday - without me! There will be no raising a glass to this beautiful woman, toasting her for loving and supporting me unconditionally, and for making the world around her a brighter place. There won’t be one too many sips of wine, or bites of birthday cake. No snuggling up like school girls reminiscing about days long since gone by. And, no me giving her a hard time for beating me out for 1988 Homecoming Queen.

Social distancing wasn’t a thing when we were kids. Heck it wasn’t a thing a month or two weeks ago, but here we are and we are surely all sad about what we are missing. And if we take a minute (you probably have a few extras these days) to consider it, at the heart of our sadness and sorrow is likely our longing for community and for celebration. We were a people meant to love and be loved because we were made in the image of God. And today and in the weeks ahead, this situation we’re in will make that difficult. It’s something worth mourning. These are real losses for us all.

But they also give us an opportunity to find creative ways to celebrate and find community! Maybe we write old fashioned letters to one another. Or FaceTime for cake and ice cream. Or have a graduation ceremony in the living room and host watch parties with friends. And through the process, begin to appreciate these celebrations more fully so when they do resume, they will be all that more meaningful.

So here’s to my dear life-long friend’s birthday and to all the celebrations that are being delayed!

Stay safe and smart and let me know what emotions have been most difficult for you during this difficult season.

All my love! We will get through this.

Robin