"I feel so much better now."

I went to Sam's Club this morning. We are going camping, and I was purchasing snacks to take with us. As I cruised toward the water aisle, I heard exclamations of joy; excited chattering rose above the shelf units.

When I came around the corner, people were gathered in a less than socially distanced way... oohing and ahhing over stacks upon glorious stacks of toilet paper.

I stopped to take a photo. And I procured myself a fine looking toilet paper trophy, arranging it strategically and lovingly in a way that would tell the rest of the shoppers that toilet paper is now available. (Limit 1). 

One lady stood at the end of the aisle and remarked over the entire contents of the row. There was kleenex, and paper towels, and toilet paper, and a plethora of other dandy paper products. She said "Oh my gosh, I feel so much better now, knowing that this is all here." I do believe that she will sleep well tonight. 

We count on some strange things for comfort, don't we? 

I have been remembering all the time I used to spend in Haiti. The beautiful, strong third world country that taught me so much about my needs. The country we would all do well to learn from. The last time I went, far too long ago, we found ourselves caught in some protests. We spent a few hours bribing our way through road blockages and navigating unfamiliar terrain to get home to the safety of the base. 

As we were driving down the road, my friends were frantically making phone calls and finally got in touch with someone who knew how to find out where the manifestations were scheduled to be that night. He would say "Go! Go fast and hurry!" And then he would call again and say "Stop! Wait until I tell you to go again." We did not question the man on the phone. We trusted him, and did what he said immediately and without doubt. There are many situations in Haiti that require the residents there to be in relationship with each other. Over there, one must truly "know a guy" for survival. 

Here, our problems are so small, aren't they? I can't find butter; steak is expensive; our kids are bored; we are comforted by the simple knowing that there are paper products at the grocery store. 

As society is opening again, and we are emerging from a state of hibernation we are searching for those signs of what is normal. We are gravitating toward the things that we knew before The Great Pause. 

But here's the thing... before we became isolated what we found comfort in was quite possibly just "things." Just convenience. The stuff we can use up and throw away. And then go get more. What I want to say this week is that I hope you don't go back to that. I hope you will remember what it was that got you through this season of isolation. I think that if you look closely it will be the same for all of us. 

For me, (and I hope you too) it was the people that stepped into my struggles. It was the people who texted me when they thought of me. It was the people who asked if I had what I needed. It was (again) the people who called me out, and made sure I felt invited into deeper, more honest relationship. The ones I trusted without question to help me navigate tricky roads. It was those people who allowed me to do the same for them. I know a lot of people who have helped me survive, and this is what I want to cling to. I want to cling to relationships instead of things. I want to find comfort as I look down the aisle of my own life in the stuff that I can't just go get more of. 

Be comforted, Dear Ones.