2021 has been a year for funerals. Although many of these deaths were not directly related to covid, they could be related to the pandemic. Although every funeral we attend is unique, each will affect us differently. Cancer, heart attacks, sickness, and even accidents can be triggered by isolation, sadness, and depression.

No matter what, Covid has touched our lives and left in its path a different world than before. We see the evidence in the homelessness, the rising prices in our economy, the schools and colleges that are going online, and even the sadness in people’s faces.

Virtual Reality has become our new norm, and it is more depressing than we can imagine. Advertisement for adventure once left us longing to get there; now we pay for a virtual ticket for a great ad.

But slowly, our lives are adjusting to the new normal. We can now visit our loved ones in nursing homes, attend school sports, and even rock out at concerts in many places.

May we embrace this new year with a more profound sense of love for each other, and may we put our trust in God as we march forward into 2022.