The Covid pandemic has taken its toll on everyone in one way or another. Many people have gotten the disease. Some people died from it. All of our lives were disrupted in some way, shape, or form, at least for a time. Mental illness surfaced. People lost jobs. The way in which we do any of a variety of thing has changed and may never return to the way we used to do them. Even though much of life has returned to more normality, there are still areas of our lives that have not.
In last month’s article for the newsletter, I mentioned that I jazzercise several times a week. At the beginning of the pandemic, all jazzercise studios across the nation shut down. However, in place of in-person classes, we could stream Jazzercise on Demand and take classes in our own homes, which I did. Quite often the instructors on JOD would say, “Put your hair up in a ponytail and join me on the dance floor.” It struck me that I hadn’t had hair long enough in 20 years to be able to put my hair up in a ponytail.
At the same time, all hair salons were closed for several weeks. In the midst of all that, I decided to let my hair grow for a while. I didn’t have a plan. I just decided to let it go. In 2000 when I last had long hair, I had it cut and donated 16 inches to kids with cancer. In the summer of 2020 two friends each donated their hair to cancer patients. Still, I had no plan. My hair just grew. Then this past spring I realized how long it was getting. In early July I had my beautician trim it up, and then we set an appointment for September 14 to get it cut off for donation. Once she cut it off on September 14, we discovered that I had 11 inches of hair to donate to kids with cancer.
Originally, I had my heart set on donating my hair to women with cancer to honor so many friends and family who have needed wigs while going through chemotherapy. However, I discovered that most of the donation sites for women with cancer only ask for financial donations and are no longer taking hair donations. Instead, after due diligence I decided on a site for kids with cancer, and I mailed my 11 inches of hair off to them.
In general, I tend to be much more of an optimist than a pessimist. I seem to always try to find a silver lining in whatever the situation. At the beginning of Covid I tried diligently to find silver linings, but it was difficult after a bit to do so. But once I decided to donate my hair, I figured that at least one good thing had come out of the pandemic. I would have never grown my hair long again had it not been for the pandemic. Now there’s a wig-making charity which has 11 inches of thick healthy hair to use to make a wig for a child with cancer.
We never know what opportunities may come our way. Sometimes we are looking for them. Sometimes they fall into our laps when we aren’t looking. The goal is to take the opportunities that come our way and use them for good.
As the pandemic took hold of our lives in 2020, I came across this saying: “Don’t give up on this year. Keep fighting for the good. Keep showing up. Keep loving. Keep giving back. Keep being kind. Keep being brave. Keep caring. Keep trying new things. Keep showing grace. Keep on. This world needs you to believe in the good.” Amen.
Pastor Beth
