When The Novelty Wears Out
Love Makes Us Resilient
by Eric Elkin
“Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.”
A late winter storm wreaked havoc on the Twin Cities this past Sunday. No area was harder hit than our neighborhood. An inch and a half of rain, followed by nine inches of heavy wet snow, produced a mess. The weight of ice and snow snapped branches and toppled large trees. The debris blocked roads and limited access to the outside world.
The beauty of the snow hid the impact of the storm. Snow-covered trees were bent so far that their top branches rested on the ground, and the still persistent wind threatened to snap their trunk. The cover was so deep I could not see how many large branches had fallen in our yard. Truthfully, I didn’t really care to assess the damage and necessary clean-up. The picture of the world was too amazing.
Our house and neighborhood lost power. Power outages always produce an adrenaline rush in me. I love the idea of scrambling to make do and adapt. Cold weather conditions, though, quickly remind me of the more severe side effects. No power means no heat and a prolonged outage can threaten the water pipes in the house.
We are on a well. When we lose power, we also lose water. The absence of water means no showers or the ability to clean dishes. Worse, water is essential for flushing toilets. It never ceases to amaze me how quickly the novelty of a power outage wears out.
“I can be changed by what happens to me. But I refuse to be reduced by it.”
The winter storm revealed how vulnerable we are in the modern world. We have come to expect immediate access to every convenience imaginable. When I wake up in the morning, I expect to be able to turn a faucet and have water come out. I expect a daily shower, to flush a toilet when necessary, a hot cup of coffee, and to text for help.
The more advanced our society becomes, the greater the need for electricity. We have become so dependent on it that we never really see the need for backup plans. Or that we can survive without all the conveniences.
An April snowstorm in the Twin Cities is far from a worn-torn area like Ukraine. It pales in comparison to the current chaotic climate in Haiti. Yet, the experience did leave me more empathetic toward their conditions. We are vulnerable and resilient people, and the source of our resiliency is love.
I enjoy how Holy Week invites us to explore these two dynamics. We are asked to accept our weaknesses in order to examine the strength of God’s love for us. A love, like water and electricity, we often take for granted. Maundy (Holy) Thursday is a good time to remember God loves us to the end and beyond and that love is the source of our strength.
Click to read John 13: 1-15
Reflection Questions:
When have you been energized by having to adapt to a new situation or condition?
How long before the novelty of it all wore off?
Where has love made a difference in your life?
Where can you see beauty in the midst of struggle?
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