This year the flu is going to have to share the church pews with COVID-19.  Besides those bugs, the cold, cough, pinkeye, and everything else will still be out there actively recruiting hosts.  With all of the changes put in place at our church, it is hoped that none of the germs have a chance to acquire any draftees.  What is our church doing to meet in person and keep COVID out of the building?

• When you enter the building(you are requested not to enter the building until 15 minutes before the service starts), you need to have a mask on.  If you forget to bring a mask, they are available to grab when you walk in.  If you choose not to wear a mask, there may be a grey area surrounding your delivery to the balcony area.  If you cannot or will not wear a mask, they ask you to sit up there with the others who so choose.  From my glances into that area, it appears most everyone is still wearing a mask of some type.
• I had no idea mask came in so many varieties.  Possibly there are only have as many mask types as I realize.  Some people strike me as being very lackadaisical in attaching the mask to their face.  I think a few of the people are placing the masks on their faces upside down.  When you look at them, it covers their noses and mouths disturbingly.
• The scariest masks are “face gloves”.  They conform to the face nearly perfectly.  They look like something a mutant who has no mask would wear.  They snug up on the face so well it is believable the person has only eyes on their face.  The donation of the nose and mouth are unexplained but obvious to all who behold.
• When singing is taking place, cheating is a survival necessity.  Unless you just whisper the words to the songs, you are going to need air.  The mask we wear are designed to limit your access to air.  Either you cheat a little and put your mask below your nostrils, breathe less deeply than you desire, or you end up winded by the end of the stanza.
• The benches/pews have been modified in two ways.  Since the church has 2 services, each service has its own set of benches.  If the first service uses benches 1, 3, 5, and 7, then the second service will use 2, 4, 6, and 8.  The benches are divided in half.  One family group can sit on each side of the tape.  Some older retired people who know each other well view the tape as a suggestion and not a demand.
• We don’t greet each other during the middle of the service.  This is really unfortunate.  Before we attended the services in person, I found it difficult to watch at the house.  It was too distracting.  Singing in person with actual music does not compare to singing in your living room.  Except for singing louder than the person on the bench two rows behind you, the lack of greeting each other makes me look forward to the changes yet to come.
• The discomfort of the mask promotes cheating, even when there is no interesting reason.  Yes, the mask stink.  Yes, the pandemic stinks.  But, again my rule-following is coming out, if the rule for sitting in a designated area means you wear your masks, you are making a contract with those around you you will wear your mask.  Many nostrils are visible in the older members.  If they are not worried about their health risk while being in a more compromised group, I suppose I should not get all worked up either.

We hope the shift comes soon.  With all of us prepared for masks until the end of November, anything short of that will be a blessing.  Expect the worst and hope for the best.  A little praying won’t hurt either.

Fortunately, pandemic life has evolved over the past 5+ months.  This does not mean it is better.  It does mean we are more grateful for things we used to take entirely for granted.  It means there are still frequent reminders of the before and during…  (I am hoping the “after” is more closely aligned with the “before” then the “now”.)

• When walking on very wide paths, I get offended when I on the far side of the path, and the person coming at me from the other direction hugs the middle of the path.
• I do laugh at people who wear masks when they are out in the beautiful outdoors walking at the park.
• Walking while listening to audiobooks is good, but walking while chatting with one of your children is better.
• The directional aisle markers were annoying when they first were placed on the floor to try and control the traffic movement.  Just to have fun today, I tried to honor the “One Way” requests.  It was annoying, and I was the only one trying to honor it.
• The plastic barriers available to checkout staff are an excellent addition.  I appreciated each of them hanging in there when they were one of the few people we saw outside of our family.  Even if they just give the appearance of safety, I welcome its presence as we navigate the checking out process.
• Buying a car the last week of February (two weeks before the pandemic) has given us the opportunity to get 6 months to the tank full of gas…and we are still going.
• I feel bad for local businesses, especially the restaurants we like.  But their food is not as appealing when you bring it home and eat it at your kitchen table.
• I miss the smiles.  The eyes may have an extra twinkle when the person smiles.  Some people seemed to have given up the effort.  I still feel obligated to tell people I am smiling even when it is obscured by the smile-blocker.
• When adult children come home to stay during the pandemic, they have different ideas of what “home rules” should be.  Even when parents think they are being flexible, they are “old-fashioned.”
• The constant availability of food early on in the pandemic boomeranged in the summer.  We still wanted to cook, but the crew didn’t eat with the zest they did at the beginning of the pandemic.  They still ate, but they needed to save room for all of the baked items.  The baked items have since been given up, too.
• My family is glad they didn’t have to face this crazy time without a swimming pool.  My wife is especially grateful.
• Having new neighbors move in during a pandemic is not very welcoming.
• Saying “goodbye” to neighbors moving out was as simple as a text.
• Exchange students can haves their lives quickly disrupted when their home countries want them back.
• It really stinks when major European vacations get canceled.
• I thought I was a thankful person before, but it is obvious I have far more to learn in this area.