Meaningful Living in Quarantine

What can give meaning and purpose in one's life? It's been interesting over the years to hear the answer of new retirees to that question. Some of them may live more years in retirement than they had in their working lives.

The answers I received varied widely. The changes required after retirement from work often were greater for men than for women. That was especially true for those whose work provided them great satisfaction.

Our lives have been upended by the Covid-19 pandemic in many ways. Is it time to ask once again: "What gives meaning and purpose in my life?"

Try applying a new kind of analysis to your reflection on your life? SWOT is a technique used by many leaders of organizations thinking creatively about their futures. S = Strengths. W = Weaknesses. 0 = Opportunities. T = Threats. The goal is to build on strengths and opportunities while minimizing weaknesses and threats.

The quarantine has upset many of our customary ways of interacting face-to-face with others. On the other hand, we have new opportunities. Personally, I had never heard of Zoom before the quarantine. I see now we can share with many whom we had rarely, if ever, met face-to-face. With some persons, we share by telephone more frequently than before Covid. Prayer partnerships can deepen. We can find new ways to reach out to those for whom we pray.

The apostle Paul, in his quarantine in prison in Rome, wrote of meaningful living: "I have learned to be content with whatever I have ... I can do all things through him who strengthens me." (Philippians 4: 11, 13).

— Norm Thomas