Insights Into The Covid-19 Church Era – Part XXI
“One of them, a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, ‘Mater, which is the greatest commandment in the law?’ Jesus replied, ‘Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment, and the second I like unto it. Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” (Matthew 22:35-40)
If you grew up watching Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood, you heard Fred Rogers sing:
I have always wanted to have a neighbor just like you!
I've always wanted to live in a neighborhood with you.
So let's make the most of this beautiful day,
Since we're together we might as well say,
Would you be mine?
Could you be mine?
Won't you be my neighbor?
Won't you please,
Won't you please?
Please won't you be my neighbor?
Written by Fred Rogers | © 1967, Fred M. Rogers
Fred Rogers always invited you to be a part of his life, his experiences, his neighborhood where he could share his wisdom with you in the simplest child-like ways. Compared to the complexities of adulthood and daily life, Rogers could make life simple, inclusive, and understandable. He introduced you to common people and to their positive assets, strengths, and feelings. They were not magical, but real people you would meet in your daily routines.
Once, America was made of neighborhoods, but the concept of people living with one another, accepting one another, giving to one another, and helping and supporting one another has dwindled to a memory for most of us. As a kid, living in the city, our doors were never locked. Even if we were away, people often stopped to visit, made their own pot of coffee, and left a note before leaving. You made meals for one another. You gave chicken soup to sick neighbors, talked over the fence, and had backyard picnics. Today that same neighborhood has both locks and bolts on their doors. Everyone stays indoors, secluded, away from one another. Instead of picnics, there is a fear of drive-by shootings. The neighborhood has changed. The neighborhood grocery story and Laundromat is past history. Tied sneakers hang from the telephone wires singling drug use. “Block Watch” signs warn of vigilante neighborhood security watches.
With the Covid-19 pandemic, isolation is prevalent. With the fear of your neighbor being a contagious carrier, you totally avoid them out of precaution. Due to social distancing regulations, you no longer talk over the fence, you text. Mothers who have babies or toddlers need to talk to other adults once in a while, but now have no time to talk to their neighbor since their older children are virtually homeschooled and need monitoring with their schoolwork between diaper changes. Mothers are exhausted.
It is so easy to get self-absorbed when isolated. Your world can shrink to one, you! Afraid to expand your world at this time, it’s ‘”every man or woman for themselves” while in a survival mode during this crisis.
Fred Rogers continues to sing, “Won't you please, Won't you please? Please won't you be my neighbor?” What does “neighborhood” mean to the Covid-19 generation? We are in a period of redefining what being “social” means and how to be “social” without being a threat of infection. We want to take care of ourselves and our family, but Jesus’ words “love thy neighbor as thyself.” because “on these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets,” keeps ringing in my ears. Like everything else, are we suppose to compose a “virtual” neighborhood. I already belong to one of those, but know hardly anyone in my actual neighborhood.
We are all still struggling with the concept of being safe, yet being social. Where is Mr. Rogers when you need him? Help!