Yesterday afternoon the 'task force' to prepare for in-person worship at my church met for the first time. We decided to send out a congregation-wide mailing, in which we caution our oldest and most at risk members about attending. I have two active nurses on my 'task force' and we are taking measures to protect our members that, in my estimation, are far more stringent than what I have observed in public since the quarantine began.
We cannot control other congregations, and to limit the freedoms of all because of the irresponsibility of some, does not seem right. And despite our cautions I know that some in worship a week from tomorrow will be some of my eldest members, including a man who recently turned 99. And despite our guidelines, I know some will violate personal distancing. But with all of that we are still safer, in my estimation, than any trip to Wal-mart.
As we try to ease back into practices we left behind in March, one thing we must realize: life is full of risk. Mitigated risk, to be sure, but risk none the same. Perhaps it is my role as an emergency service worker than causes me to view things a bit differently. To do my job for the welfare of my community, I have to assume risk. I know that and accept that. It does not mean that I am careless, and our department stresses safety all the time. In my 17 years on the department we have not lost one life, nor has anyone been hospitalized for life-threatening injuries. It could happen, of course. We are always one call away from injury or death. We know that. But one can assume risk without guaranteed high rates of catastrophic results.
Are we creating an atmosphere of paranoia that will forever impede the normalcy we need to function as a society? Perhaps that may be overstated, but it is my concern.
