On Wednesday, June 2, the COVID-related mask mandate will end in Dane County ending the need for face coverings for one of the highest-populated parts of the Diocese of Madison.
On Friday, June 11, COVID-related guidelines in the Diocese of Madison will end, bringing to a stop the need for special measures to be taken in our churches to stop the spread of the virus.
On the weekend of June 12-13, the liturgical calendar returns to the season of Ordinary Time.
What does this all mean?
Things are really, finally, truly getting back to normal.
Hello again, ‘Normal’
I don’t know if I’m ready for this.
Introverted Kevin was kind of ok with some of the ways the COVID world looked.
Sitting every other pew wasn’t so bad. I was able to avoid the awkward someone is going in the pew behind me and kneeling, do I need to lean forward to lean to the side so as they do not drive their praying and folded hands into my back situations.
Contactless delivery was rather nice too. The food is left at my door. No awkward “Hey.” “Hey.” “‘Sup?” interactions.
One-way grocery aisles created some nice inner store traffic flow also.
I know many people have been itching and chomping to shed off all that COVID has draped upon us and run free into the post-COVID world.
Others may not be totally ready to get back to normal. Some may have gotten used to the way things were thrust upon us and felt secure in their adjustments to the “new normal”.
But here we are, mere weeks away from the most normal things have felt in a long time.
Some of us may feel a little funny or guilty not wearing a mask in certain places if we’ve trained our brains to always remember them.
It might take us a while to not go out of our ways to walk extreme distances from people whose paths we cross, lest we be accused of not distancing properly.
And please, stop hoarding paper products and other necessary items.
We survived being normal before and we can survive it again.
Sorry to everyone out there that has to look at my face again. We’ll all get through this together.
A new day
For those of us who made it this far, congratulations.
Feel free to embrace and make the most of any normal and ordinary situations that you find yourself in very soon, no matter how awkward they might feel.
No matter your levels of care and cautiousness during the worst of the pandemic, let’s step back and be happy to be here.
Don’t shame anyone no matter how they handled the pandemic. Those of us that are here, got here. Let’s be thankful for that.
Is the virus still a risk?
Yes, people are still getting it. Good hygiene and necessary care practices are still a good idea, but I’d like to think the worst is over.
It’ll be good to see the churches fuller again.
It’ll be nice to see faces again.
It’ll be nice not wearing a mask again.
It’ll be nice to move on and to move forward and to hope we learned something good out of all of this.
It’ll be nice to feel ordinary again. Both in our churches and around the whole of the area.
We made it. We’re going to be ok. It’s time to go forward and be not afraid.