Normal was the problem

It is strange at times to have a sense that there is this underpinning ‘normal’ still happening. 

If you look at the waves on the surface can see the tension between the habit behaviour of the past that is held on with white knuckles never to let go, and that of a new way that is foreign and unknown, requiring effort, relearning and taking a step into the ripples. 

 

I recently saw this image of graffiti, it was based in Hong Kong, and had this message 

“There can be no return to normal because normal was the problem in the first place”

 

While the pandemic has brought about a lot of change, I feel this quote can be applied to so many spheres of life, well okay… my life!! It’s a strong message that should be sang from roof tops in a tone that is catchy and stays in peoples heads – like the song that never ends… 

 

There is a sense of graciousness and humility which at times is usually lacking in our relationships in the wider community, along with abundance of good will. Isolated people, aged persons, being reached out daily; children developing footpath trails; blind women being offered scented herbs by another; volunteers collect and delivering prescriptions or supplies; sharing food with neighbours, creating street entertainment and so much more. It feels, for now, it seems, crisis breeds kindness. 

 

It seems, to me at least, there is tension back in the air…. This sense that while responding to ourselves and those around us with such care and compassion, the questions of what lies in front of us has started to come with great haste.

 

A question I often spend time dwelling in while being present to the stillness of the air, is what kind of community do we want for the future?

Is it too soon to talk of re-sharping, after all we talk, walk and work differently now… or do we!?!

There are new opportunities arising to resource ourselves more locally in the future, providing greater resilience and reducing the dependency of too much from far away. A sense for me of tapping into that great wisdom of that generation not too long ago who worked hard on the land to sustain the family. Whose contribute to the wider community was from what they had and living simply. I can’t help wonder if the minimalism lifestyle that is capturing so many of my friends is really a longing to return to this simplicity. Community energy production should be a focus, nourishing the gifts and talents that are present on our door steps, at this time needs to be captured and creatively thought about to empower and breed life. 

 

I live in an environment that is intergenerational living, I witness the tension to move from what has been in the past to a different way. Might be brave to try something once, even move dinner by half an hour, yet 99% likely return back to the old way. There needs to be compassion, understanding and a lot of patience. A chill sometimes runs through me with that thought often spoken at younger gatherings of waiting for one generation to pass before the other comes into itself. Are we living like this, are we back in the past way of thinking like this… it’s scary if we are. Nearly a dismissiveness of the present… 

 

In the context of religious life, its time the ropes are let go of, seriously, this need for the past structures is so outdated and a large missed opportunity. For me, I spend a lot of time thinking about this as I do not wish nor desire to live in an institutional way, do not wish to have anyone around me living in this way that it seems is not of its time anymore. Rather we are entering an age of celebrating diversity. I listen to amazing initiatives around the world to address injustice that are in neighbourhoods and feel the more I soak in this feeding, the more I have energy to think creatively, of the possibilities to set up a project for the seeds to be planted… 

 

During the past few months it has become very clear to me that I miss Oceania, my roots, my culture, my community, the familiarity of language that speaks and I can communicate in. There is a small piece of me that wonders while moving all around the world offers great insight and adaptability, there is a point where I feel a detachment nearly with heighten awareness that each place I leave changes, raising a question of how is one meant to minister to the people in the current time when feeling this detachment, sometimes grabs my breath. 

 

Back to the question…. What does community look like in the future? I pray that it is so inclusive, there is a dropping of this hierarchical structure or division of labels. I feel that people who have walked before us have gifted little insights into creating pockets of this and now maybe we can continue their good work with slight adapting for our time. 

I was reading a small piece by Joan Chittister called the place of work in life. She retells a story of “once upon a time, the ancients tell us, a disciple said to the rabbi, “God took six days to create the world and it is not perfect. How is that possible?” “Could you have done better?” the rabbi asked. “Yes, I think I could have,” the disciple said. “Then what are you waiting for?” the rabbi said. “Go ahead. Start working” 

 

To me its evident the Western culture has not treated work kindly. We have lived in a capitalism that works on competition and unequal distribution of goods as well as inventiveness. We hear over and over, the poor getting poorer, rich getting richer, that’s the cycle. 

Joan pointed out that work has been badly warped, badly misused in society, because success has become more important than value and efficiency has become a God that will accept the sacrifice of people for the sake of profits. 

 

I guess what I am trying to get at is work is meant to build community. We work for others, give ourselves resulting in never really working for our own good alone. Work is our gift to the future, it’s a sign that the Lord work continues, as He works through us. It is the very stuff of divine ambition. And it will never be over! 

 

So its time to shift, time to talk, walk and work differently… not back to the normal as that is the problem of how we have got to where we are!