God created us to be connected. We all desire to belong. When we deny ourselves those connections, we lose a sense of who we are. Dealing with trauma tends to put us on edge and we are more apt to take offense at minor missteps like knocking on the wrong door.

Two years of living life in a pandemic thrust us in greater isolation than ever before. This has caused many changes in the patterns of our social participation. Subsequently, children in schools are dealing with higher levels of social anxiety and depression. They are relearning how to relate to kids their own age and their teachers. Our children have new deficits that they acquired during isolation. Our elders have also suffered from extended periods without the visits from neighbors and friends. Adults have suspended activities including attending weekly religious services. We have lost social connections that were a routine part of our lives before the pandemic. We have forgotten how to be civil. How do we reestablish our community connections?

For a little less than a year we have been working toward a new normal in our lives. People are returning to live sporting events, concerts, theatrical performances, and other communal activities.  Yet have we tried to rebuild our social networks and communities of relationships? Studies suggest that participation in our faith communities increases our overall wellbeing and sense of belonging. According to the Pew Research Center, “regular participation in a religious community clearly is linked with higher levels of happiness and civic engagement,” (January 31, 2019).

            God created us to be connected. We all desire to belong. Belonging to our families, to our workplaces, to our faith communities, and our friendship networks are a natural part of what it means to be human. When we deny ourselves those connections, we lose a sense of who we are. Our sense of self is diminished. Dealing with trauma tends to put us on edge and we are more apt to take offense at minor missteps like knocking on the wrong door. We are lacking a sense of safety in our communities in part because we have forgotten how to build relationships based on mutuality and trust. How do we increase trusting relationships in our lives?

Clergy in my United Church of Christ denomination have been told it will take us a full two years to rebuild after the pandemic is over. President Biden declared the pandemic to be over in September of 2022. The Public Health Emergency regarding COVID testing and treatments is ending May of 2023 and the additional Medicaid benefits granted to many individuals ended in April of 2023. Many are being forced into positions of economic insecurity once again as these benefits disappear. It is time for us to bolster our own social support networks and encourage participation in faith communities where people can find connections and encouragement during these transitions. Regardless of when we start the clock, we have two years ahead of us to establish connections and remember how to be supportive of people who come from different situations and generations.

Taking time to create new connections, attending religious services, and learning to make new friends is essential to our continued recovery from the trauma that the pandemic has inflicted upon all our lives. This past Easter we participated in a vigil where we were invited to get creative. We were invited to play together! We walked our labyrinth, shaped ornaments from clay, sculpted natural sand gardens, colored, read, and tried new experiences. As a community we learned creative ways of reengaging with one another.

Art is freeing. Creativity is a gift from our Divine Creator. Sharing in art together connects us in ways that are profound. Creating Art is healing. We are wonderfully made by the Master Artist and within each of us is the power to CREATE beauty, love, joy, and expressions of that Divine Creativity. Take the time to be creative—paint a picture, sculpt an object, create a garden plot, or photograph a spring flower. When we engage in these acts of creative play, we can build relationships and increase levels of trust with others.

            Creative play connects us to our Creator. We have survived a traumatic time in our history. It has changed us. It has changed the way we think, the way we act, and the people with whom we share our lives. It is time to be creative and reconnect to our faith communities in new ways. Our places of worship, whether they are Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, or Sikh among others, are designed to be welcoming communities where we can build new friendships and deepen our connections. As we rebuild these essential relationships and find our belonging inside of communities of faith, I believe that our trust in one another will be strengthened.

A version of this article was first published in the Janesville Gazette May 10, 2023