Welcome to the New World

Welcome to the New World

This is a Sermon I gave online to the Unitarian Universalist Church of Brevard on 7/12/20.
(FYI, the extra punctuation and spacing is to remind me to breathe - in general good advice).

I hear this phrase, over and over again, 

“when we get back to normal”.  

We wonder when things, will go back, to the way they were.  But what does that mean?  What do we mean, when we say, “back to normal”.  What is it, that we are craving, that we are missing, in this abnormal, situation.  

Was, what was, “good”,  good for all of us, or just, some of us?  What can we improve, in this, “New World”?  What do we hold onto, and what do we let, fall back, to history.  What will be our Legacy, to future, generations.  These are the questions, we need to ponder, as we look to the future, and begin to rebuild “This New Normal”.  

So what was good when things were “normal”?  

Our connections, above all, we are social creatures, and our ability to connect, to one another, is vital, to our emotional, well being.  We like community, we crave that connection, with another person.   

Online helps, but it does not fulfill our, tactile need, to be with, each other. We are personal, we like face to face, we like to hug, to share our hopes and our fears with each other, and to find comfort.   

So in this “new normal”, can we meet, with each other, in person?  In some capacity yes, yes we can, but we need to be smart.  It will not be, “like it was”, for some time. Our connections, for a while, will be smaller, more intimate, more individual.  

And that’s not necessarily, a bad thing.  If we wear our masks, if we maintain small groups, and more intimate connections, if we keep our distance, we can come together.  Just, in a different form. 

Along with connections, is our need for community.  We support each other, in so many ways.  Caring for our community, also starts small.  It starts with the little acts, like wearing your mask, and keeping your distance, when possible, helping the most vulnerable, get groceries, supporting local businesses, calling others, and checking in with each other.  

It is strange that in this time, the best way to support each other, has been to be away, from each other.  But that will never, be enough.  We need each other.  We will always, need each other.  

We also need, a greater support system, that goes beyond our personal, connections.  We look to support the less than fortunate, and those who have hit hard times, during this pandemic, through community organizations, and charities, that are doing good.  Many of these organizations, are part of the good, we should carry with us.  

It can be a challenge, to find ways to support, when you have to limit where you go.  Some of the ways we helped each other before, just don’t work in, “The New Normal”, so it is up to us, to come up with new, and innovative ways, to support each other.   

So ,Was, what was “Normal”, always, Good?  Was “normal” always, Fair, was “normal” always, Just?  These are the questions, we need to ask, as we build this, new world.  Covid, has broken down the system, and left it exposed. We can, no longer hide, behind the norms of society, and the status quo.  

The system, has built in racism, built in sexism, built in economic disparities, and these things, we must work, to relegate, to the past. This breakdown, and rebuilding, should be part of our “New Normal”. 

Our “New World”, after Covid, started in a mix of fear, complacency, and misinformation.  It is emerging, in Protest, in Action, and in Revolution.  When we rebuild this world, we can not accept, the status quo, that clearly, failed us in our times of need.  

Millions around the country, and the world suffered, without financial support.  Aid was slow, the public support, was inadequate, and the relief did not find its way, to all of those in need. 

We can not, bring with us, the inequalities, that have followed us, from the founding, of our country, we need to do better, we need to build, a “new world”, to be truly, equal.  We need to make sure, that all of us have those, unalienable, Rights.

Like many, I recently watched, the Musical Hamilton.  I find it an apt analogy, of privilege, that a musical, which was once only available to view through a high priced ticket or a lottery system, is now available to the masses, 

(for the low price of Disney Plus and, a decent internet connection).  And was only released, now, because, of the pandemic.  Now the masses can enjoy seeing the revolution, through a reimagining, of diverse casting and modern musical stylings.  

And that’s what this conversation is about, access, and privilege.  Helping our community to be more than tolerated, more than equal.  Equality assumes, we are all starting at the same place, we are not.  

We must work for all of us to be, equitable, understanding, that greater opportunities, are needed, for those who are poor, who are black, brown, or indegenous, just to get them, to the same starting line.  

We must, first see, the status quo that was accepted, in what used to be “normal”.  We must acknowledge that Black lives matter, Brown Lives Matter, Immigrants matter, indegenous peoples, matter, LGTBQ+ people, matter, and that we, as a society, have not treated them as such.   

Now Hamilton’s Founding Fathers, were by no means perfect.  They were, slave owners.  Their constitution, counted slaves, as three fifths, of a citizen.  The words, "All men are created equal", do not mean what they say, and leave out, a sizable, portion of the American, population.  

Most of the population, was considered “less than”, and the system, built by them, has been slow to change, since our founding.  Like much of history, we put them on a pedestal, forget their transgressions ,and gloss over any blemishes, in their character.  

But most of our history books, could use an update.  Even with all these faults, they still gave, a set of ideals, beyond their own failings, to strive towards.  

Today’s revolutionary, sentiment, comes not from an outside oppressor, but an internal one.  We as a nation, as a government, have created the system, and a dialogue, that oppresses, people of color, and indegenious peoples.

We have done this for so long, most of us don’t recognize it.  Especially those of us who are not, personally, oppressed by it.  

But in the internet age, it is hard to ignore, these inequalities, and easier, to understand.  The internet, is a great equalizer, where all voices are heard, and the narrative, is not controlled.  Raw data such as the internet, can be harmful, but it can also be, transformative.  

I hear people ask, “why is this happening, all of a sudden”.  To oppressed peoples, there is nothing, sudden, about it.  When the world got quiet, the rest of us just started to take notice.

So what is, our, “new normal”? 

It's the good things.  Our love, for one another, our hopes, our compassion, our humanity.  But it also, needs to be, our equality, our equity, our justice, the true promise, of America.  

Some day, we will all, be able, to take our masks off, to sit together, and enjoy each other’s company, without fear or distance.  Someday, we will venture, out into the world, into our communities, in large numbers, and celebrate life’s moments, and milestones.  

And someday I believe, we will fulfill, the promise, of this country, that all of us, are created equal, in our free, and just, society.  

But in the meantime, I am going to use my voice, to work on those things we need, to leave behind.  I am going to use my voice, to speak for those, who are not being heard. 

I am going to use my voice, and my time, where it is needed, to build a better,  just, and more, equitable, society. This “new world”, should be our Legacy, to future generations. 

When we emerge into, “the new normal”, I want to create a world, that understands the inherent dignity, of every person, and a true, justice for all, and I believe, together, that we can.  

To quote the creator of Hamilton - Lin-Manuel Miranda “What is a Legacy?, It's planting seeds in a garden, you never get to see”.  And my wish for each of us, is that we all, plant our seeds for this, “new world” so we can, ALL, blossom together.

Namaste.