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Cartoon image of three people who are standing six feet away from each other and social distancing. All of them are wearing masks. This image depicts a social distancing culture.

Why Social Distancing Could Be Damaging Our Culture

by Mark Charles on category

Can social distancing be damaging our culture? As human beings, we are not meant to live in complete isolation from each other. But the Coronavirus has forced our culture to practice social distancing in public. This pandemic has made us wear masks and avoid people as much as possible. Yet our culture was not built for social distancing. We are social distancing to stay safe from the Coronavirus, but ironically we could be damaging our culture.

The phrase “social distancing” has been a media phrase for the last six months. The public never really heard that phrase before. So, what is it?

What Does “Social Distancing” Really Mean in the Damaging Coronavirus Culture?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), social distancing is “keeping a safe space between yourself and other people who are not from your household.”

More social distancing information can be found here at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/social-distancing.html. This is how the CDC describes social distancing in a pandemic or medical definition.

But what does it really mean to “social distance”? In the simplest forms, here is what “social distancing” really means:

  • Physically maintaining an unfriendly distance from someone
  • A heightened level of germaphobia
  • No hugs to family or close friends
  • Don’t kiss family or close friends
  • Can’t give handshakes to people we are meeting
  • No fist bumps to people
  • Forget about handing someone a physical object
  • Societal pressure to avoid all people in public
  • Enhanced stigma to be looking out for ourselves and loved ones only, not strangers or neighbors
  • No holding the door for strangers when entering a store or public building
  • Walking or moving away from someone who is walking down the same aisle in a store (or on the same side of a street, etc.)
  • Excessive paranoia when seeing someone in a mask (even if you are wearing a mask, too)
  • Excessive paranoia of any employee that is in the service industry (grocery store clerk, restaurant worker, gas station attendee, etc.)
  • A general uncomfortableness being around people who are not immediate family
  • An excuse to be non-social

This isn’t meant to belittle the seriousness of social distancing. However, with all the benefits that social distancing is doing to help stop the virus, it could be damaging our culture from a socialization perspective.

Extroverts are Becoming Introverts, and Introverts May Be Feeling Extra Comfortable

With social distancing in the last few months, our culture has mostly become a society of introverts. What can we say, we have been forced to avoid people and live in our bubble.

I consider myself more of an extrovert than an introvert. One of my favorite things to do in any job that I’ve had is to “work the room” at an event– meaning that I enjoy networking and meeting people.

Still, general socializing has become nearly impossible since COVID-19 came into our lives. Now, talking with the public is done through computers or phones. To me, it’s really hard to be a successful extrovert talking to a computer screen.

For the introverts, I think this has made their lives a lot easier in some ways. There is not the pressure to engage with people outside of their comfort zone.

Introverts probably feel more in control as it relates to communication and being social. And, since we can’t be with a lot of people, introverts probably feel quite comfortable with our new isolation.

Why We Need to Be Close to Each Other

Human beings are social creatures who live with families and live in communities. We live together, work together, eat together, play together, and sleep together.

Our businesses and economies grow when we are working together. We function stronger within a group as opposed to functioning as individuals.

When we are isolated and alone, it is very hard to have a relationship with people. It’s incredibly difficult to have a long-distance relationship or one that is purely remote.

What is the first thing we do when we see someone in person we haven’t seen in a long time? We give them a big hug!

In regards to working for a company, we communicate and work better when we see each other in person. This isn’t meant to diminish working from home.

Personally, I love working from home and intend to do so now and in the future. However, I also love to interact with people in person. There is no comparison working with people in person as opposed to working with people through a computer screen.

A cartoon depicting a group of businessmen and businesswomen huddled around a work table. The image portrays a collaborative work style that is done in person.

Human beings need to touch, feel, and see each other in close proximity. We need to “feel” body language, and we need to “feel” non-verbal communication. It’s difficult to “feel” that kind of communication through a computer screen.

How many times have we sent a text or e-mail to someone, and that person has completely misunderstood the tone of the message? If we verbalized the exact same message in person, chances are the tone and message would not be misunderstood.

We need to be close to each other so we can communicate and have better relationships. Our lives would be empty if we weren’t physically close to each other.

Is Social Distancing Crippling Our Children?

What are we saying to our children over and over again these past six months?

  • “Don’t stand so close to him.”
  • “Keep your mask on.”
  • “Come back here and stand next to me.”
  • “Don’t let go of my hand.”
  • “We can’t go there until the Coronavirus is over.”
  • “We have to stay inside.”
  • “No, you can’t play with her because of the Coronavirus.”

We are not intentionally causing our children to become afraid of people. As a culture, we are trying to protect our children with social distancing. However, they don’t really know that or appreciate that logic.

As a side effect of the social distancing medicine, perhaps our culture has now made our children more fearful and shy.

Are we harming their coping skills? Has social distancing caused loneliness and depression in our children since they have been away from friends and classmates?

Yes, children are resilient and, once school returns in the fall (if it returns), they should be socially fine.

But if school doesn’t return or if it looks socially awkward (wearing masks in school, sitting six feet apart, no recess, etc.), our children might be more impacted then we think.

Parents are Broken, Depleted, and Need a Break

It has been a long six months, especially for parents. Social distancing has changed the parenting culture this past year. Having to home school, work from home, and manage a household has been very trying on parents.

Schools, daycare centers, and babysitters are all respites for parents. They give parents breaks, opportunities to get things done, and the ability to recharge the battery.

Yet with the Coronavirus, these options are not readily available for parents. Social distancing has been just as hard on parents as it has been on children.

As a parent myself, schools better reopen in the fall or we are all going to lose it. Obviously we want our children to be safe, and if the mandate is to close we will do what we have to do.

Regardless, social distancing has changed our culture in how we parent and what we allow our children to do.

Can We Avoid the Social Damage of Social Distancing?

Eventually, the Coronavirus is going to end, and we will get back to our lives. Truthfully, our lives will probably be different in the future.

Social distancing is helping to save lives. But can we avoid the side effects of social distancing?

There have been positive stories about the Coronavirus. I have written about it in a previous article on this blog at https://thefaithfuljourney.com/15-positive-ways-the-coronavirus-has-changed-our-lives/. One of those positives mentioned is the closeness that we have developed with our family and friends.

Regardless, the larger concern rests on the present and future effects of social distancing.

Will social distancing create a culture that ultimately makes us fearful of other people? Can social distancing make us not want to be in public places?

In regards to our future work cultures, will they not consist of collaborative teams, but rather individuals who own projects and tasks? Will work feel more isolated and alone as opposed to working as a group?

In time, will our children choose to be isolated in their social behavior?

For example, video games and other electronics are already an isolating means of entertainment. Will children choose more to play alone and segregated as opposed to playing in a group? Will they lose the concept of team involvement?

There is no doubt social distancing is helping to save lives and stall the spread of the Coronavirus. To be clear, I fully support social distancing to help slow the Coronavirus.

Although this may be true, social distancing can potentially be damaging our culture of socialization now and into the future.

This image is a woman wearing a mask at a grocery store.

3 Irresponsible Reasons Why People are Not Wearing Masks

by Mark Charles on category

Let’s face it, people have all kinds of reasons why they are not wearing masks in public during the Coronavirus. Without a cure, the only way to slow its spread is to use social distancing and to wear a mask. However, when we venture out into public, the majority of the people are not wearing masks. Why are people not wearing masks? Here are three irresponsible reasons why people are not wearing masks during the Coronavirus.

1) Can it Just Be Our Naivety?

The Coronavirus has truly made our world different and uncomfortable. One of those uncomfortable disruptions is the notion of having to wear a mask in public.

For some people, they simply choose not to wear a mask. Could part of this decision be based on naivety? In other words, perhaps people honestly feel that nothing bad will happen to them. They truly think they will not get infected.

Some people refuse to wear a mask because they believe God will protect them. And, some people don’t wear a mask because they believe they are healthy and not “at risk” for getting the virus.

Here is a counter to those two statements above.

The “God Will Protect Me” Excuse

To say that “God will protect me; I don’t need to wear a mask” seems like a poor lack of judgment. It’s like saying, “I don’t need to wear a seat belt when I’m driving, because God will protect me from getting into an accident.” Are we trying to test fate?

What if we all knew a hurricane was coming but said to ourselves, “God will make the hurricane pass over my house”? Yet, we live in the path of a hurricane, all the meteorologists are predicting a hurricane, and everyone is evacuating their homes. This logic doesn’t hold a lot of water… no pun intended.

I’m a believer in God, his son Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. I’m not trying to offend anyone. But to me, this excuse seems to be a highly skewed perspective on faith.

In the end, people have their reasons why they are not wearing their masks in public. But exercising caution does not show a lack of faith.

The “I’m Healthy and Not At Risk” Excuse

There are people who think they are healthy and not at risk of becoming infected. To them, why should they wear a mask? In general, they seem to act like they are invincible.

However, this is a highly contagious virus with no known cure.

If someone coughs, sneezes, or even talks, their droplets can travel through the air and infect someone close by. The virus can live in the air for a couple of hours. And, the virus has been known to live on certain surfaces for a few days.

To learn how the Coronavirus can spread, read this short article on WebMD at https://www.webmd.com/lung/coronavirus-transmission-overview#1.

To say that one’s state of health and well-being is above the risk seems very naive. We should feel blessed that we are healthy and not infected. But it also doesn’t mean that we are above this virus.

These irresponsible reasons why people are not wearing masks during the Coronavirus pandemic hurt us all.

2) Vanity is More Important Than Saving Lives

For the record, I hate wearing masks. I’m sure most people despise wearing masks. They are uncomfortable and look pretty stupid. Human beings are social creatures, so wearing a mask limits our interaction with others.

It feels very uncomfortable walking into a store and experiencing people looking at us oddly for wearing a mask. Doesn’t it feel like wearing a mask is attracting unwanted attention?

Another reason to dislike masks is that they make it hard to breathe. And, for those who wear glasses, masks can fog them up which can be very annoying.

Yet with all these annoyances, there are people who complain about wearing masks due to how they look and feel. The masks don’t fit right, they look too bulky, the color scheme is wrong, they don’t match our outfits, etc. In other words, these are mostly vanity excuses.

We need to remember that wearing a mask is not only for our benefit, but also for the benefit of others. This has everything to do about protecting ourselves and others.

Vanity is an irresponsible reason for people to not wear a mask. Yes, wearing masks is incredibly annoying and frustrating. But if this is what we have to complain about, then we are way ahead of the curve (so to speak).

3) There is a Reason Pride is One of the Deadliest Sins

Pride is literally a killer. Certainly, most theologians believe it is the deadliest of all sins.

It was pride that changed angels into devils; it is humility that makes men as angels.

St. Augustine

Some people just downright will not wear a mask because they think they don’t have to or need to. But, by not wearing masks, we are increasing the odds of spreading the virus.

Companies are making their employees and customers wear masks for the safety of everyone. They are trying to do their part as a society. But people are starting to “lose it” when faced with the challenge of wearing a mask in public.

“Karen” has been a social media darling this past week. She was a customer at at California Trader Joe’s and was escorted out of the store for refusing to wear a mask. Here is the scene caught on video. It was posted on this Twitter feed below. Karen makes a huge scene about not wearing a mask.

https://twitter.com/search?q=karen%20mask&src=typeahead_click

There are all kinds of videos on social media that show unruly people making scenes about wearing a mask in public. Some people say it’s against their Constitutional rights to wear a mask, others claim medical reasons for wearing a mask (as Karen did above, which may/may not be true).

It seems the majority of those who don’t want to wear a mask have an excuse (or at least a temper tantrum). Of course, if someone truly has a medical condition and can’t wear a mask, that doesn’t apply here.

There is a good article by Julia Marcus of The Atlantic that gives an explanation of why people don’t wear masks. Here it is: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/06/dudes-who-wont-wear-masks/613375/.

It’s frustrating being told to do something that is not agreed upon. We feel like our rights are being violated or our liberties are being taken away.

However, this pandemic is a situation where we need to think less about ourselves and more about our fellow human beings. Perhaps this is God testing us, telling us to do something we really don’t want to do in order to serve and help other people.

Choosing to Not Wear Masks is Just Selfish

Honestly, no one likes wearing masks in public. It is highly inconvenient and unusual. In fact, this is something we can all agree about.

The reality is that there is no vaccine. We have an unprecedented virus that has spread across the world. Our government leaders and medical professionals issued a state of emergency to stay home and close businesses. This whole situation has been very intense.

Just like we don’t know what people are thinking or what is in their heads, we don’t know who has the virus at any given time. To enter a public setting without a mask is equivalent to playing Russian Roulette.

Yes, the majority of the people will never contract this virus. And, the majority of the people who do contract the Coronavirus will fully recover. But, there are people in this world who are susceptible to this virus and can die if they contract it.

If there is anything that we should learn from this experience, we should learn humility and sacrifice. This is not only about protecting ourselves, but also protecting our families, loved ones, and neighbors. This is such a small sacrifice to make in the larger context of preserving life.

One thing to keep in mind, is that God gave us all a high-functioning brain and free will for a reason. He will allow us to make poor decisions and suffer the consequences. We need to use the knowledge God gave us as a “steering wheel” to guide our decisions, as opposed to relying on him to be our air-bag for reckless behavior.

To Wear or Not to Wear, That is the Question

I wrote a previous article about the year 2020 being the end of the world or the beginning of salvation. In the article are examples of world events up until this point that might signal the end of times. Conversely, the article states that perhaps God is giving us this opportunity to save us from ourselves. Maybe wearing a mask is the irony of 2020, covering up and protecting ourselves from this world’s wickedness.

Check out the article here https://thefaithfuljourney.com/why-2020-is-either-the-end-of-the-world-or-the-arrival-of-salvation/.

People have their irresponsible reasons for not wearing masks during the Coronavirus. This is why we as human beings always get in the way of ourselves. We’re acting like spoiled children who are complaining about being in the car for 10 minutes and asking, “Are we there yet?” over and over again.

Wearing a mask will hopefully help all of us return to some sort of normalcy. It is helping to get the economy back on track. People are finally able to get out of their house and socialize again. Choosing not to wear a mask is going to put us back to where we were… at home, secluded, and with more jobs being lost.

Truthfully, if we had a vaccine and we got the shot, then we probably wouldn’t have to wear a mask in public. At that point, it probably would be up to our own preference. Until then, if we are not going to wear a mask for ourselves, then let’s wear a mask to help save someone else’s life.

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Why 2020 is Either the End of the World or the Arrival of Salvation

by Mark Charles on category

2020 has been a volatile and disturbing year. With all the historic, tragic world events, perhaps this year is the end of the world. It’s crazy to think this way, but it’s also not that far-fetched to think the world is headed towards the end. Considering all the destruction and turbulence, is God finally getting the world’s attention? Maybe the year 2020 is the end of the world or the arrival of salvation.

The world seemed to be humming along, gearing towards the start of a new decade. In the United States, the economy was soaring and life as we knew it seemed relatively normal. Then, a series of events started happening that gave us pause and caused major disturbances in our world.

This is not meant to signify a doomsday attitude or tone. But these main events of 2020 indicate signs that perhaps the world could be approaching the end or it’s the arrival of salvation.

2020 Apocalyptical Fires in Australia; End of the World or Arrival of Salvation?

Although the fires started in 2019, they seemed to become quite newsworthy at the beginning of the year. It wasn’t just the fires, it was images of dead kangaroos and koala bears that were disturbing.

And, practically the whole continent was on fire. Sure, fires happen all the time and most of us just ignore them (unless they were happening to us). But this fire lasted months and just felt completely different than anything seen before.

What if these fires represent the end of the world in 2020? Although, maybe 2020 is the year of salvation, meaning God will save us from this destruction.

A photographic image from space that shows all the fires in Australia. The picture shows the entire continent, with most of it in fire. This depicts a look of what the end of the world might look like for Australia or the opportunity for salvation.
This image of Australia burning courtesy of Stab Magazine

The U.S. and Iranian Tension; Either the End of the World or the Arrival of Salvation

On January 3rd, the U.S. assassinated Iranian Major General Qasem Soleimani of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps near Baghdad International Airport. Moreover, Soleimani was the second most powerful person in Iran behind Ayatollah Khamenei.

Considered a retaliation by the U.S. for years of killing Americans, the death created a buildup of Iranian forces headed towards American forces in Iraq.

A few days later, Iran launched several missiles at U.S. targets in Iraq. Then, just hours after the missile attacks, Iran shot down a Ukrainian airliner, killing all 176 passengers.

War, or a major battle, seemed to be inevitable. Perhaps not now, but when? Maybe 2020 is the beginning of WWIII, where it’s the end of the world or the arrival of salvation? Is God coming to save us?

China Confirms First Cases of Coronavirus in Wuhan

As it seemed like tensions were increasing in the middle east, China confirms on January 7th a new virus in Wuhan (later named the Coronavirus). At the time here in the U.S., it didn’t seem that big of a deal.

Throughout the years, we went through Ebola, SARS, and even H1N1, but didn’t give those diseases much attention at the time. Most Americans probably thought that the Coronavirus was probably going to be another SARS or H1N1. In other words, it was going to come and go quickly, not really impacting our way of life.

More on the Coronavirus will be covered later in this article below.

Major Volcano Eruption Strikes the Philippines

Again, no big deal as this didn’t seem all that alarming (unless you lived in the Philippines or had family there). The Taal volcano erupted on January 12th, the first time in 43 years. A total of 39 people lost their lives and over 400,000 people needed to evacuate the area.

NBA Star Kobe Bryant & Daughter Gianna Die in a Helicopter Crash

The sports world (and the entire world) stopped for a few days when news broke about Kobe Bryant’s death in a helicopter crash. Then, we learned that his 13-year-old daughter Gianna also died in the crash. And another family that was friends of the Byrants lost their lives on the same helicopter, too.

For most people, this was probably one of the hardest things to deal with at the time. Whenever we hear about famous celebrities passing away, it seems to always take our breath away. This seemed truly surreal that someone like Kobe Bryant, a person “larger than life”, could tragically pass away. And the fact his daughter died, too, makes it difficult to accept.

A group of people standing in front of candles, pictures, and flowers. The people are weeping and look sad. This is a memorial to Kobe Byrant.
Mourners share their respect to Kobe

Trillions of Locusts in Africa; 2020 End of the World or Will Salvation Arrive?

Like something out of the Bible, trillions of locusts invaded eastern Africa. Not only was this alarming, but this felt like something out of a horror movie. And there were two waves of locusts that arrived, with a third wave potentially coming over the summer.

The world’s agriculture and livelihoods have been affected. What will the future look like for this region of the world? Furthermore, are these locusts a sign that 2020 is the end of the world or the arrival of salvation? Did God send the locusts or is he stopping them?

This is an image of an African man with a machete, swinging at the swarm of locusts. The swarm of locust is so large, it is hard to see any detail in the picture. This image is an eerie look of what the end of the world might look like, or perhaps its the beginning of salvation.
This image from the BBC News shows the massive locusts

Mighty Floods in Indonesia Inundate Thousands of Homes & Businesses

Floods rained down on Indonesia, especially the capital city of Jakarta. Thousands of homes and businesses were displaced. Over 60 people died from the floods.

To make matters worse, because of the environment, Jakarta is currently sinking into the Java sea. If things don’t improve soon, tens of millions of people will be homeless and/or dead.

President Donald Trump is Impeached & Then Acquitted

In the history of the United States, only three presidents have been officially impeached. President Donald Trump was impeached in December. In February, he was acquitted on both articles of impeachment – abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.

This is never a good sign to see the most powerful leader in the world accused of misconduct. It’s not a good look for the president, congress, and the U.S. government. Does this show that our leaders are failing us or does it show an increasing level of political division? Perhaps both.

BREXIT Becomes Official as the United Kingdom Leaves the European Union

After a few years of bickering and protests, the United Kingdom officially leaves the European Union. Some people support this decision while others do not. This decision is very symbolic.

What will this landmark decision do to the future relationship between Europe and the United Kingdom? Is this a sign of freedom and independence or a sign of a malcontent division?

Riots in India Lead to Death & Destruction

In Delhi, India, riots which included tons of bloodshed and property destruction killed 53 people. Most of the people who died were Muslim, killed by Hindu mobs.

The riots were the result of a reaction from the Citizenship Amendment Act in Delhi’s elections, where a mob scuffle violently removed a group of Muslims from blocking the road in protest.

Earthquakes Strike Turkey and the Caribbean

A 6.7 magnitude earthquake hit the eastern region of Turkey. The earthquake killed 41 people and injured 1,600.

A 7.7 magnitude earthquake hit the Caribbean between Jamaica, the Cayman Islands, and Cuba. This was the largest earthquake in the Caribbean since 1946.

The Coronavirus Pandemic Spreads Throughout the World

As time moved along through 2020, the Coronavirus became a real pandemic. Governments were calling for a state of emergency. Businesses and schools closed, as the order to stay home and wear masks became the new norm.

By the end of April, over 200,000 people worldwide had died from the Coronavirus. As of the middle of June, over 450,000 people worldwide have lost their lives.

In the United States alone, over 120,000 Americans have died. The U.S. currently has the most recorded deaths from the Coronavirus. These are more American deaths than World World I. And, these are more American deaths than the Vietnam and Korean Wars combined.

A microscopic image of the Coronavirus. It is a white cell block with red spikes coming out of it. There are several of these white cells with red spikes in the image.
The microscopic image of the Coronavirus

The scary reality about the Coronavirus is that it’s invisible, there is currently no cure, and nobody knows when it will end. Life as we have known it has changed forever. Could the Coronavirus be signaling the end of the world or the arrival of salvation?

Oh, Come On– Now We Have to Deal With “Murder Hornets”?

Seriously, this is just getting ridiculous. Really? Murder Hornets?

In the spring, large Asian hornets arrived in the Pacific Northwest of North America. The name probably scared more people than the Coronavirus. But in actuality, they got their name because they have been known to kill honeybees in a violent way.

The sad truth is that honeybees are already struggling to survive. Add Murder Hornets to the equation, and this becomes even more complicated for the honeybees and our ecosystem.

Susan Milius, a life science writer, wrote a story in Science News about the Murder Hornets. For more information on these insects, read her article at https://www.sciencenews.org/article/asian-giant-murder-hornet-sightings-washington-canada.

George Floyd’s Death, Protests, Riots, and Demand for Social Change

For the last five weeks throughout May and June, the world has exploded with rage and anger. Sadly, George Floyd (a black man) was unnecessarily killed by a Minneapolis police officer (a white man) which was caught on video. This act caused widespread protests and riots throughout Minneapolis.

Black Lives Matter emerged with protests against police brutality. Demands for social change marched on. Rioting and looting erupted. The protests, riots, and looting spread all over the world like the Coronavirus.

Protesters holding up a sign that says, "I can't breathe", with their fists in the air and yelling. In the background is a large fire. This is from a protest at night in San Diego, CA.
Protests in San Diego courtesy of ABC 10 News San Diego

The United States looked like a third world country whose citizens revolted against their government. Burned buildings and cars, fighting and arrests, looting and anger, where all sights unusually seen in America. Through all this anger, demands for defunding police departments worked its way into government action.

Large societal organizations like the National Football League and the healthcare industry started dialogues and taking actions about racial disparity.

Will this all lead to civility and peace or a nation divided? Or, will this lead to a race/class civil war?

The Fall of the U.S. Economy

The economy heading into 2020 was very stable and growing. However, with the Coronavirus pandemic and the closing of businesses, unemployment surged. Wall Street started to take a major hit.

In January, the United States unemployment rate was 3.6%. As of March, over 40 million Americans filed for unemployment. In April, it surged to 14.7%.

In March, the Dow Jones ended the day falling -2,997.10 points. This was the single largest point drop in history. Also, this was the second-highest percentage point drop ever at -12.93%. And this represented a bigger crash than the Wall Street Crash of 1929.

India vs. China Himalayan Border Conflict

Recently, India and China engaged in a conflict on the Himalayan border. The fight resulted in 20 Indian soldiers killed, as it’s unknown how many Chinese soldiers died. This skirmish is over the LAC or the Line of Actual Control, which is a loosely defined border between China and India-controlled Kashmir.

Although this border control goes back to 1962, the tension between these two countries has existed for many years. Could this conflict and tension lead to something bigger down the road?

Does This Mean the World is Coming to an End?

Is 2020 the year the world comes to an end or is it the arrival of salvation? Honestly, the world is probably not going to end in 2020. However, none of us are God and none of us knows what is coming next.

What we do know is that the year 2020 has been incredibly weird and symbolic. Doesn’t it somewhat feel like an apocalyptic time we are experiencing?

We’ve practically had a whole continent on fire in Australia.

A volcano erupted.

An international sports star and his daughter die in a helicopter accident.

Swarms of locusts and hornets invade.

Floods and earthquakes happened.

Governments are divided. Leaders are not leading.

Countries are parting relations with each other.

Fighting is ensuing with major wars possibly on the horizon.

Murder, protests, and riots are happening all over the world.

Global economies are falling.

And of course, a global pandemic has swept over the world and killed hundreds of thousands of people.

This is just all bad. These are incredibly strange times with an eerie feeling of doom.

Is 2020 the Year of Salvation?

According to Christianity, salvation has already arrived with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. But, could the arrival of the Coronavirus and all the other tragic, scary events that have happened in 2020 be another salvation? Is God trying to get the world’s attention to bring back His people to Him?

Salvation is defined in the dictionary as the following.

The act of saving or protecting from harm, risk, loss, destruction, etc.

Deliverance from the power and penalty of sin; redemption.

courtesy of dictionary.com

As Christians, we believe we were saved by Jesus Christ. But I just wonder if God has seen enough from his people over the last 2,000+ years.

Have we stopped following His commandments? Did we stop loving each other as God loves us? Are we living a life that is not worthy and pleasing to God? I wonder if God needed to send a message (or in this case 15 big messages), in order to get our attention.

Now that He has our attention, what are we doing about it? Are we reconnecting with God and establishing a new, more powerful relationship with Him? How are we asking for forgiveness from God, ourselves, and each other? Are we helping our neighbors and friends in their journey through 2020?

If the answer to a lot of these questions is “no”, then wouldn’t now be a great time to go on a journey towards “yes”?

What Should the Arrival of Salvation Look Like?

Since God has already given us salvation, technically we don’t need to worry about 2020 being the end of the world. However, I don’t think this is God’s turn to save us. This is our turn to save ourselves from ourselves and run to God.

I don’t think God is going to one day just end the world, like flipping a switch. I believe human beings are going to end the world one day, unless we change our behaviors.

God gave us free will. He also gave us the planet Earth. He basically said, I created all of you differently and uniquely, but gave you all one place to live. All you have to do is love me, love yourself, and love your neighbor. If you do this, I will share my kingdom with you when your time is done on Earth.

But somewhere over the last 2,000+ years, we stopped loving God (or took him for granted), we stopped loving ourselves, and we stopped loving others. This time around, we need to save ourselves from ourselves.

The year 2020 can potentially be the year we change into how God intentionally created us to be. Salvation arrives the moment we accept God into our hearts and intentionally try to live a life worthy of God.

Still not a believer in salvation, check out how God saved me from a car accident https://thefaithfuljourney.com/god-came-to-me-in-a-car-accident/.

Yes, 2020 (and beyond) can be saved. Yet, it is up to each of us on our life journey to have faith in God, in ourselves, and in humanity.

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A picture of a movie theater marquee. The sign says "The World is Temporarily Closed". The sign symbolizes how the Coronavirus has changed our lives in society.

15 Positive Ways the Coronavirus Has Changed Our Lives

by Mark Charles on category

Can it be possible to look at an extremely negative situation with a positive viewpoint? For instance, how can the 2020 Coronavirus be described as a positive experience that changed lives? On the surface, the Coronavirus is a deadly, global pandemic that is highly contagious and ruined the world’s economies. But, if we look at the Coronavirus from a positive perspective, we can see some amazing positive circumstances that changed our lives.

We have seen stories of communities coming together to help their neighbors. Local food banks and grocery/pharmacy stores have been a shining light for us all.

Healthcare workers have been our superheroes, sacrificing their own lives to care for COVID-19 patients. Manufacturers have been working to keep our country afloat while the majority of us stayed home. Law enforcement and public safety workers kept us safe.

Many people risked their lives for the safety of the masses. There have been stories of heartbreak and chaos. Fear and anxiety came along with the Coronavirus like a bad cold that never would end.

In spite of all of the angst and misery that came with the Coronavirus, there are amazing things that changed our society for the better. Here are 15 positive ways the Coronavirus has changed our lives.

1) The Reinvigoration and Reinvention of Family Time

Let’s face it, there were the pre-Coronavirus life and the new life that changed our way of living. The pre-Coronavirus life was hustle and bustle. It might have looked something like this:

  1. Wake-up
  2. Get kids off to school
  3. Go to work
  4. Work all-day
  5. Go home
  6. Help with kids schoolwork
  7. Take kids to activities and/or play with kids
  8. Get kids to bed
  9. Go to bed
  10. Do it all over again the next day

The Coronavirus slowed everything down and forced us to do something we haven’t done for a long time. We made a restart. Just like electronics occasionally need a restart, we did too. This restart came in the form of actually spending quality time with our family.

Parents became home-school teachers, recess monitors, cafeteria workers, and activity directors. We spent much more time with our kids. It wasn’t about “hurry up and let’s go somewhere” anymore. It was now about getting to know our children better and finding different and unique ways to engage together.

For my wife and I, we found ourselves playing more board games with our kids. Puzzles became the new craze. For the first time ever, we actually did “family bike rides” with our kids and had so much fun.

We built family forts out of blankets and pillows. And, I had “boys’ nights” with the kids when the three of us would all sleep together in the family room.

Things became simpler and less hectic for us all. Family time became the only time, because truthfully we only had each other. And because it was only us, the bond of family took on a whole new importance and meaning during the Coronavirus.

2) Reconnecting More Than Ever with Distant Family and Friends

I think the Coronavirus made us think about family and friends who were distant. Now “distant” can have several different meanings. In this case, distance means “measurement in length” and it also means “length of time”.

Distance Measured in Length

The Coronavirus changed our lives in the form of communication. Zoom, Skype, and FaceTime were all words that rolled off our tongues quite easily and frequently.

Technology created opportunities for us all to communicate. Never before has technology been so important to our society than during the Coronavirus.

Because of technology, we could talk to friends, family, and co-workers through our computers and phones with relative ease. Distance was not a barrier anymore. There was a greater feeling to want to connect with people that were not only close in proximity, but also to those that lived far away.

But it wasn’t just about technology. The Coronavirus changed our lives by actually making us appreciate our relationships.

It caused us to check-in on loved ones, say “I love you” to friends and family, no matter how far away they lived. A deeper feeling of love came over us, because we were genuinely concerned about their well-being. The Coronavirus was scary (and still is). But it brought us closer together in our relationships, which changed our lives.

Distance Measured in Time

This pandemic forced us to appreciate time. It caused us to be afraid of losing time and created a reckoning about time. Through this realization, the amount of time we had was unknown.

For me, I found myself reaching out to friends and family who I haven’t spoken to in years. Those people told me that they were doing the same thing. Why were we doing this? Was this the last chance we would talk to them?

I don’t believe (at least for me) it was that intense that I would never talk to people again. However, I think subconsciously, the Coronavirus made us pause and reflect. And in pausing and reflecting, it made us think about those we still loved, but hadn’t taken the time to really reach out to.

In the past, we used “time” as an excuse for not talking to people. Now, it was “time” that made us actually think to reconnect with our loved ones.

3) How “Time” Went from Under-Appreciated to Extremely Appreciated

In J.R.R. Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring”, the wizard Gandolf The Gray says a timeless line to the hobbit Frodo.

“All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.”

Gandolf the Gray
The Lord of the Rings:
The Fellowship of the Ring

Picture of Gandolf The Gray from the movie "The Lord of the Rings".
Gandolf The Gray from J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings”

This famous quote echoes so much spirituality about time. We are not promised a set amount of time. As humans, we have to decide how to use the time that is given to us.

If we knew exactly how much time we had to live, we would plan out our life’s journey completely different than how we are currently living. The Coronavirus disrupted and changed all of our lives. Through this disruption, we learned very quickly how to spend our time.

So what did most of us do with our time? The Coronavirus slowed time down for us. It forced us to make time for ourselves, make time for our family and friends, and make time for our community. Time was valued again.

We actually stopped, paused, and reflected on what is important to us. For some it was their business or job, for others it was their own well-being. But for most of us, family and friends received most of our time.

Sure, there were mostly negative situations and horrible things that have happened to our society from this pandemic. People lost their loved ones, their jobs, their comfortable way of life, etc. Yet, for the majority of us, we can honestly say that the Coronavirus changed our mindset and made us value our friends, our family, and our lives in a whole new light.

4) Working from Home is No Longer Taboo, It is Necessary

I’m fairly certain that the majority of people who work from home are not willing to go back to an office again. Why would we? For some jobs and for some people, they can’t work from home. They need to be in an office with other people. For others, they see going back to an office as an unnecessary inconvenience.

I can personally attest to this situation. I love working from home. Prior to the Coronavirus, I worked one or two days a week from home which changed the lives of my family. But my job was one in which I’d meet with people outside of the office, so technically being in the office was just a “landing spot” to do administrative duties.

Those days at home were the most productive days of the week. There were fewer interruptions, more comfort, more flexibility, and it offered me a higher degree of autonomy.

I believe people who were not traditionally working from home and had to, felt the same as I experienced. Freedom, flexibility, and empowerment are powerful emotions for people. Working from home gave us that power to produce in our jobs.

Moving forward, our society should really look hard at accommodating their employees if they want to work from home. The organizations that go strictly back to the old way of working in an office will eventually become dinosaurs.

The benefits of working from home far outweigh the benefits of working in an office (for most people). Working from home is no longer taboo. Thanks to the Coronavirus, it will be a major societal change in our workforce.

5) No Need to Make That Lunch Trip to Subway Each Week

We weren’t in the office, restaurants were pretty much shut down for dining inside, so we didn’t need to pay for lunches. If we look at this on a personal level, then we should have noticed the savings on not buying lunches at work.

Even if we brought lunches to work four out of five days, that one day out for lunch will cost anywhere between $10-30 per person (depending on where you live and where you dine). Using this example on the low end, that’s a personal savings of $40-50 a month.

If we look at this in a different context, not many people were contributing to the food and beverage industry during this time. That industry definitely took a hit, and we saw the horrible effects it had on our economy and their personal lives.

But this article is about pointing out the positives. Saving money during a pandemic is a bright spot. The reality is that we didn’t need to buy lunch at work, because we were working from home. Making a ham or tuna sandwich at home is cheaper than buying a meal at Subway.

6) The Best Gas Prices Seen in Years

With nobody driving to work, school, or activities, gas prices plummeted. Wasn’t it awesome to see gas prices below $2.00 per gallon (depending on where you live)? Driving by gas stations and seeing virtually no lines or no vehicles was a little spooky.

According to Khristopher Brooks of CBS News, gas prices haven’t been this low since 2016. His article on gas prices during the Coronavirus can be found here at https://www.cbsnews.com/news/gas-prices-1-85-gallon-drivers-roads-coronavirus-pandemic/.

Now, as the country is starting to open up again and businesses are starting to return to work, we are seeing gas prices start to go back up. However, they are still low. We may have just experienced the lowest they may be for quite some time.

7) Seriously, When was the Last Time You Drove Your Car This Week?

Don’t forget to start your vehicle and drive it around the block once or twice. If not, then your vehicle’s battery just might die. We are actually reminding ourselves that we have a vehicle and that we have to occasionally start it. That’s hilarious!

For those of us that had long commutes or were road warriors, not watching the miles rack up on the odometer was a very welcome sight.

I have 192k miles on my car. My daily commute was about 80 miles collectively to and from work. That does not include all the driving to clients and prospects I had to do. At least for me, I might be able to get an additional year or two out of my car with the mileage savings.

I’m sure we all have similar experiences or can appreciate not having to worry about vehicle mileage.

8) We Can Breath Easier and the Water Actually Looks Blue

With considerably less vehicles on the road, that meant less carbon emissions polluting the environment. Less people out meant less trash consumption. For the first time, in…forever…we actually saw signs our planet was going back to its natural, healthy state.

Wasn’t it wonderful to see the water clear again in Venice, Italy? To actually see marine life and clear blue water was astounding. There were actually dolphins swimming in the water.

CBS News’ Chris Livesay reported on the environmental health improvement of Venice. His story on how nature is flourishing in Venice can be found here at https://www.cbsnews.com/news/venice-tourists-coronavirus-nature-flourishing/

A bright picture of Venice, Italy, showing buildings that are in yellow, orange, red, and white. The sun is bright. The water is very blue and clear. The Coronavirus improved the environment, which changed the lives of Italians.
Venice, Italy, for transparency, this may or may not have been taken during the Coronavirus

How about Los Angeles, CA where people can actually breathe easier and see the skyline? The smoggy haze finally has diminished. Another incredible story of air pollution plummeting was in India. New Dehli, the capital city, saw a 70% decline in nitrogen dioxide pollution.

It will be very interesting to see what environmentalists, governments, and corporations will do in the future. Now that the world has seen a decline in air pollution, policy changes may be coming.

Adele Peters of Fast Company wrote an interesting article on the reduction of air pollution during the Coronavirus. Included in her story is a map graphic, showing the air pollution around the world. The graphic actually distinguishes the difference between March 2019 vs. March 2020. The article is found here at https://www.fastcompany.com/90489321/these-8-maps-show-the-massive-drop-in-smog-caused-by-the-coronavirus.

Elon Musk must be smiling right now, knowing that he made major advancements with new consumers and legislators on electric vehicles. Due to the Coronavirus, it literally showed the world that reducing air pollution can happen. Expect a rise in Tesla sales over the next few years. The Coronavirus just may have changed our lives by making electric cars more accessible and affordable in the future.

9) It’s Nice to Have Extra Money Each Month

Being quarantined isn’t all that fun. We can’t go anywhere and we can’t do a whole lot of things until places start to reopen. And, even though restaurants and entertainment facilities are starting to reopen, the odds of having pre-Coronavirus attendance is very low. When we look at this as the bottle half-full, there is one thing we can smile about. We are saving money on our entertainment expenses.

For a family of four who would generally go out to a restaurant at least one or two times a week, the savings is significant. With the average cost being $50 (depending on where you live and where you go) per dining out, that’s roughly $200-300 saved per month.

Let’s add other entertainment costs per month for a family of four. If the same family goes to a movie theater once a month, that’s roughly $50 for tickets (depending time of the show) and another $25 for snacks. So, the total for going to the movies once a month is around $75.

Do not forget all the extra-curricular activities that were canceled. Some activities were shut down prior to the pandemic. Others were canceled midway through the pandemic. Some clubs and organizations may or may not have had reimbursements.

Just to make this simple, let’s just say each child’s activity per month cost $50 and they had only one activity. For two kids, that’s $100 to play a sport, be in a club, etc.

Because of the Coronavirus, a family of four could have saved on average $375-475 per month on entertainment expenses. Rounding this up, that’s about $400-500 of savings per month.

10) Being Frugal and Disciplined Wasn’t a Bad Thing

With people losing their jobs and the uncertainty of the job market, holding onto our money seemed to be the best option. Going to the grocery store didn’t feel safe (at least not without a mask). Retail “physical” shopping was non-existent, only online shopping made the most sense. Having to stay “bunkered in” gave us the need to conserve.

This pandemic put the world in unprecedented times. We saw the horror pictures of Italy and Spain, where the hospitals were overflowing with Coronavirus patients.

Images of bare streets and no traffic were extremely eerie. Nobody knew if we needed to stockpile food, water, and other supplies. Toilet paper became the most popular item to have and the most coveted item to own.

In my household, we tried to not be so wasteful with our food. We attempted to make our groceries last as long as possible and were mindful of our utilities. Even though our monthly grocery budget went up, it was far lower than our entertainment budget per month.

We delayed plans for vacation and other family activities. Yes, we became a lot more frugal with our money and how we would spend it. We tightened up our overall spending and became more disciplined with making our supplies last longer.

11) Minimalism Kind of Became Normal and Wasn’t Really a Radical Life Change

How much do we really need in this world? The Coronavirus pandemic really put that question into reality. Most people would say they need their family/friends, a roof over their head, food and water, clothes on their back, somewhere to sleep, and a bathroom.

I’m not suggesting that the Coronavirus was like a hurricane or tornado, thrusting us into pure survivor mode. But, I will say that it made us think and act in a way of only needing the bare essentials in our lives.

Joshua Becker is a minimalist and defines minimalism in a succinct way. His information on minimalism can be found at https://www.becomingminimalist.com/what-is-minimalism/.

The minimalist lifestyle is about living with only the things you need. Minimalists are free from the desire to buy and accumulate more. Instead, they find happiness in relationships and experiences.

Joshua Becker | Becoming Minimalist

I think what Joshua is saying equates well to our general mentality during the Coronavirus. As a society, we weren’t intentionally accumulating things that were not important. In general, we secured what we needed (groceries mostly) and we held fast to our relationships (family, friends, work).

In the end, all we really needed during the Coronavirus pandemic were the essentials. Truthfully, we were just fine with the simplest of things.

12) Being Flexible and Adaptable Became the New Way of Living

The Coronavirus taught us that those who became flexible and adaptable were more comfortable.

School districts that were organized, communicative, and adaptable made the transition to online learning more efficiently than other districts. Companies prepared for virtual work transitioned smoother than other organizations.

Employers who accepted their employees as parents first, employees second, built better mutual trust and understanding. Those who embraced flexibility seemed to have a stronger mindset for handling our new pandemic life.

All of us had to learn to do things differently, and we all know that change can be hard. Yet, this wasn’t a gradual change. This was a change of instant necessity.

In regards to schooling, parents saw it firsthand. The teachers and administrators who were not tech-savvy were not as prepared and organized with their lesson plans for parents. Employees who were not tech-savvy struggled with virtual work. People who didn’t have the technological means struggled as our healthcare visits now became virtual.

A picture of a modern, flat-screen computer on a desk. A laptop, smart phone, and tablet are also on the desk.
For people who were not tech-savvy prior to the Coronavirus,
they will have to become tech-savvy now to survive the new norm.

For those who didn’t accept technology prior to the Coronavirus, there’s a strong bet they will be investing in technology now. The pandemic solidified that virtual and online lifestyles are only going to grow.

The Coronavirus amplified our need for proficiency in technology. Also, it challenged our adaptability to overall lifestyle changes. This pandemic pushed our mentality on how we embrace change. The reality is that the Coronavirus forced us to be flexible, whether we accepted it or not.

13) With Our Faith Being Challenged, Spirituality Was on the Rise

Some might have seen the Coronavirus as a sign from God, suggesting that our lives needed to be changed. Perhaps the world was coming to an end. Maybe God wanted to get our attention and bring us back to Him. One thing is for sure, our faith was surely challenged.

What has made this enemy so difficult is that we can’t see it. There is something else that we can’t physically see either– God and His love for us. However, we can feel when His love is around us or inside us.

A doctor in scrubs, wearing a mask and a hair net, is sitting down in a patient's room. His head is down and his hands are folded. He is praying.
Prayer and introspection were everywhere

When was the last time the world was united in faith? Didn’t we witness our communities coming together for all of humanity? Not since the tragic events of 9/11 have we seen so much universal love. For the first time in a long time, we prayed as one world. If we all tuned into the global spirituality that took place, we could feel its power.

14) Through Introspection, We Actually Were Able to Listen to Ourselves

There is no doubt that the Coronavirus increased our depression and anxiety worldwide. How can we not worry about our loved ones, ourselves, and what tomorrow was going to bring? The unknown can be a scary thing, and a pandemic can be a terrifying journey. The Coronavirus actually made us listen to ourselves.

For me personally, the Coronavirus made me tune into my mental health. It made me really think about what was important in my life. I re-evaluated my life and started making significant, personal changes.

I left a job with an unhealthy work environment, became fully engaged with my family for five months, lost 40 lbs, started this blog, and then found a new job. Most importantly, I found a stronger connection to God and a deeper purpose to life. I’m not so sure all of those things would have happened without clear introspection.

15) We Finally Started That House Project We’ve Been Putting Off

With more time at home, overdue projects got attention. Whether it was finally decluttering the basement or putting in new landscaping, we put a lot of collective energy into home improvement projects.

According to Business Insider, Lowe’s saw an 11.2% gain in sales in the first quarter (or $19.68 billion in revenue). People were investing in their home projects. To read the full story by Aine Cain, visit https://www.businessinsider.com/home-improvement-sales-lowes-home-depot-earnings-coronavirus-2020-5.

Since we couldn’t go anywhere and we were stuck at home, why not invest in our homes? It made absolute sense. Plus, it gave us something to do besides doing puzzles, watching TV, or always being on the phone or computer.

The Coronavirus actually gave us the motivation to get things done at home. And of course, getting things done at home has a positive impact on marriage.

Conclusion

The Coronavirus didn’t care what race, gender, or socio-economic background we came from. This virus only cared about spreading and infecting as many people as possible.

Just in the United States alone, over 100,000 people have died. That is more people who have perished during the Vietnam War. Over 400,000 people have died worldwide.

Although we have all seen the tragic results and the horrible pain it has caused so many people worldwide, there were some positive benefits.

These 15 examples mentioned above illustrate, that even in the worst of times, we can still find the positives in life. Even during these dark times, it’s important to see how the Coronavirus positively changed our lives.

To continue the conversation or share stories, please contact me here. Be sure to sign up for The Faithful Journey’s e-newsletter. 


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