Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Psalm 51:10
We are on day 148 of 15 days to slow the spread.
During our 47 years of house arrest, I’ve pretty much binged my way through all of my favorite series.
Thanks to HBO, I’m currently working my way through Doctor Who, starting with the Ninth Doctor.
I’m about to move on to the 11th Doctor. Rose is gone forever (or is she?). Martha has left and Donna has had her memory erased.
Don’t @ me.
I’m talking about the season that aired twelve years ago. You’ve had time.
It’s interesting the second time through. And no, I’ve not gone back to the original series. Someday, I will.
The first time I watched I didn’t like it when The Doctor regenerated, or when the companions left. I didn’t like the changes.
Please, if you don’t get the references, feel free to move on and return tomorrow. Just remember to hit the tip jar on your way out.
This time through, the changes sometimes still make me sad, but they’re more comfortable. More familiar. Less startling.
Still, my screen got a little blurry when the 10th Doctor started his final goodbyes.
I don’t really like change.
There’s an old joke about Richmond.
How many Richmonders does it take to change a light bulb?
Three.
One to change the bulb and two to talk about how good the old one was.
We don’t live in your grandpa’s Richmond anymore. But, that’s another post.
To be written by someone else.
It’s 2020 and pretty much everything has changed.
We can’t go out, at least without a mask. We can’t go to church. We can’t go to football games or other sports ball events. We can’t go to the theater. We can’t go to the movies.
The list goes on. And I don’t like it.
My December plans have changed dramatically. As I wrote last week, Kings Dominion will not be opening in 2020. That means my main Santa gig for December is gone. Yesterday I confirmed that the one in person event that I already had scheduled was also canceled.
Truth is, I’d already made the decision myself not to do any in person Santa visits this year. For one thing I absolutely refuse to appear as Santa wearing a mask.
Your pandemic response may vary.
I do have some creative possibilities in the works for Halloween and Christmas. No, I’m not ready to tell you about them.
2020 has been all about things changing, and, like I said I don’t like it.
But even if we look for something “normal” in 2021, we have to recognize that some things are permanently changed.
The biggest thing that might be changed is us.
That may be uncomfortable.
I’m trying to change what the scales tell me. I’m trying to change the retirement plans.
I guess what I’m saying is that I’m okay with change as long as I’m the one doing the changing.
But the Psalmist prays for God, the One who does not change, to create a new heart and to renew his spirit.
Will we pray for that to happen? Or will we allow our 47 years of house arrest to just make us crankier, more divided, less kind?
Last night I watched the transition from the 10th to the 11th Doctor. Ten didn’t want to go. I get that.
Change is hard. Change is uncomfortable. Change is scary.
Change is necessary.
Personally, I’m looking forward to changing the calendar, but that’s just another page if we aren’t learning from this and changing for the better.
This the point of the post where I’m trying to end this with a clever line.
In other words, if I could, I’d change the ending.
Instead, I’ll just go regenerate with a cup of coffee.
Photo by Greg Rakozy on Unsplash