Rev. Joseph Cousin

Don’t Return to Normal, Be Better

BY REV. DR. JOSEPH N. COUSIN SR.

Without question, the year 2020 was one of the most memorable on record, and not in a good way. The coronavirus pandemic, otherwise known as COVID-19, turned the entire world upside down. The effects of this devastating pandemic are too numerous to mention, and one of the most glaring is its effect on our everyday lives. We sheltered in place, remained socially distant and were unable to go to many of the places we used to frequent.

Now, as more people are being vaccinated and the pandemic slows down, we hear people talking about a return to normal, because they are excited to go back to the way things were before the pandemic. However, whenever I hear someone talk about returning to normal, I caution against this, because I don’t think that we should return to normal.

I recently ran across a quote online that read, “Nothing should go back to normal. Normal wasn’t working. If we go back to the way things were, we will have lost the lesson. May we rise up and do better.” In our attempts to rush back to normal, I would advise that we pay close attention to this quote. We must learn lessons from this season of difficulty. I pray that we have learned from this pandemic, and we will not go back to the way things were.

Let’s be better in our treatment of others. Let’s be better in our willingness to cooperate. Let’s be better in our commitment to make this world better. Let’s be better in our striving to end oppression. Let’s be better in our effort to be truly inclusive of others. And, most of all, let’s be better in our commitment to God.

Remember, we don’t want a return to normal, because normal wasn’t working. Instead, let’s learn a lesson from this pandemic and strive to return to better. I am excited to see what’s on the other side.

The Rev. Dr. Joseph N. Cousin Sr. is pastor of Allen Temple AME Church in Woodstock and the founding president of the Cherokee County NAACP.