Behind the Windows- Part 1

There has been fear and panic shopping, did anyone ever crack the toilet paper story by the way? Will we ever know who started it?

But yes, all around we have so many individuals and families on lockdown.
Meaning they have to stay at home, cannot travel, and for many, their plans are currently on hold, some even have to rethink their plans.

For me, this has not been such a difficult season to adjust to, especially the staying at home part, because I have been staying home and not moving except when necessary for non-COVID-19 related reasons for the past 3 months. Then the virus showed up and just gave others what for me has become the order of the day. I am not saying it has not affected me at all, just saying that physically, not as much. It did hit me the other day, though, that if something happened to anyone back home, good or bad, I would not be able to go there. Now that is some crazy stuff, but I digress.

Sometimes I love my mind, and sometimes I want to take it to rehab. Recently, I started thinking about all these people on lockdown. Who are they? What are their stories? What brought this on, you ask? The very simple act of deciding that this may be the best time to start exercising. And no, I am not running…hey, baby steps, please! I am walking up and down the stairs in the building… past locked doors; some have sounds coming from within, others are completely silent; all are inhabited. This is where I admit that I do not know my neighbours. A few faces here and there, a few hellos, but that’s it.

At the topmost floor, as I looked out, I saw so many other apartment buildings and my mind started to wander again… Who are those people? What are their stories?

Because I am still growing the muscle of seeing the positive, my mind started bringing up these pictures and stories…some of them sad. And I began to pray. You will see why at some point, but let’s take our seats, grab some popcorn (or a snack of your choice), and meet a few of these characters. For purposes of this tale, we will assume we are looking through their windows and can somehow read their thoughts (because eavesdropping, I learnt as a child, is rude!).

Peter and Nancy have been married for 5 years. They are young, hip, working at jobs that may not be their dream, but they enjoy them so far. Peter loves Nancy; he has since the first day he saw her on campus… 15 years ago. The phone rings, and it’s Peter’s Mom, checking on them in this very serious and dark season. The banter is the usual. Nancy smiles, a sad smile. She loves her mother-in-law. Yet the sight and sound of her reminds Nancy that it has been 5 years and still no grandbabies for that kind, loving woman. Peter says it’s okay, it is God who gives children. Yet Nancy can’t help but wonder why that same God seems to be giving children to everyone left, right and centre, except in their household. They have been Christians for a long time, and they have lived their lives right. Surely God would be kind to such as these? Surely, he would not allow some of her friends and family members who last saw her just after the wedding to make insensitive remarks like “the kids must be grown now!”… She sighs, smiles sadly and goes ahead to pour herself and Peter, the man who seems to have a secret relationship with God on these matters (because he appears to have coined the “peace beyond understanding” scripture), a cup of coffee before he settles down to put in the 8 hours he promised his boss he would, even at home and before she gets to all the client calls she has to make.

Jacob stands at the window in his robe. He wishes to read to while away the time, but lately his eyesight has been failing. The doctors say, after some really tedious hospital visits, that this has no cure. One of his eyes can barely see but no one can tell. There is no option for eyeglasses or even surgery. His Doctor literally said it would take a “miracle”. His only child is grown and has her own life far from home. His wife is gone. These days, it’s just him, the restless young man who helps around the house, and the sight outside his window, most of which he cannot see anymore. He is just 51, too young for old-age illnesses. His job, where he has been for over 25 years…whose stress has caused so many illnesses over time, threatens to end any day now…and that was before Covid-19. Oh yes, did he mention that the neurologist told him dementia has started to set in? He has always been independent. What if his eyesight fails completely? What if his brain continues to shrink? What if he does end up becoming a burden to society? Does God still perform miracles? Could he be a candidate for one of those? Or are they destined for others… Will he die alone? If he died during this lockdown, his child would not even be able to fly in for his burial… Silently, he prays, “Please God, don’t take me yet. I hear you can heal me, is that something you could consider?”

In this lockdown, behind the windows are real, breathing humans. Some of them have issues that will persist after this virus passes. In fact, this lockdown has allowed time and space for all the unspoken fears and long-buried issues to occupy more space in their minds and hearts, and for some, in their homes. Will you think of them as such? Will you pray for them as such? Will you look beyond the windows to the lives behind the curtain?

To be continued…